


been around a million stars but none of them shine brighter than you

by subtleclown



Series: one way, no stop, to the stars [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Complete, Denial of Feelings, Drinking, Edge of Desire, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Hyuckhei, Jocks, John Mayer - Freeform, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Whipped, M/M, Making Out, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Mutual Pining, Nahyuck, One Shot, Parties, Plot Twists, Roommates, Stargazing, Swearing, University, borrowing of shirt, jock!donghyuck, lil bit of jaeyong if u squint your eyes, markhyuck, markmin, overdramatic poetic boys, renmin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:14:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 37,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28773699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subtleclown/pseuds/subtleclown
Summary: "You count for seven stars for seven consecutive nights, and then at the last night, you'll be granted a wish," Mark whispers—his eyes twinkling—fascinated at the superstition he discovered from the depths of the web, eyes filled with hope, desire, and maybe a bit of gullibility."Well, that's kind of stupid." Donghyuck mumbles.Alternatively, Donghyuck takes seven days to put the puzzle pieces together and goes like—“Oh shit, I’m so in love with Mark that it should be me he’s kissing on top of the roof beneath the stars”—and everyday he loses hope as Mark slowly drifts away but not as long as the stars are shining so bright in the pitch black sky and so he counts for seven stars, just like what Mark had instructed about the superstition, and then at the last night, he makes a wish.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: one way, no stop, to the stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109594
Comments: 14
Kudos: 61





	been around a million stars but none of them shine brighter than you

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction, this doesn't portray real relationships and personalities of members'. I also would like to dedicate this fic to Ree <3 So without further ado, oh wait WARNING: THIS IS UNBETAED, ANYWAYS, ENJOY READING!!!!!

The chilly breeze of Wednesday night blows against Donghyuck's long hair. His breath hitches as he glances upwards, the serene clouds moving gracefully in the vast pitch black sky, the swallowing void of darkness makes the silver orbs wink, gleaming brightly, indeed a dreamy view to admire.

It lights up so much its brilliance mirrors in Mark's deep hazel eyes, releasing a small sound of startlement like it is his first time seeing it when they do nothing all night but to watch the ethereal show above for free. Appreciation is a must, Mark Lee requires — Lee Donghyuck was an exception though —but  why was he?

You see, Donghyuck never loved the stars the way Mark did — who had scenarios of touching them when they were seven 'til today, then Donghyuck will always have his famous remark of "But the stars are a huge ball of gases held by gravity," resulting to Mark not letting Donghyuck sleep besides him that night — _ But that was before, until... _

Donghyuck can't help himself but to stare at Mark rather than to the speckles of fairy dust scattered above because they aren't that interesting to him unlike Mark — who is totally obsessed with the idea of it, to the point that he broadcasts to everyone, his dream job of being an astronaut. But of course it changed when he knew he was more into astrology rather than astronomy, which are two different things (or so it changes again when he steps at SMU applying for BSC Physical Science) — _ But that was before, until... _

In conclusion, Donghyuck isn't the type to get lost in his thoughts while staring at the stars. He didn't care about intergalactic shit, he wasn't obsessed. Take his best friend Renjun for example, who is totally obsessed with aliens that he might actually become one some day and no one will even notice. Or him being Mark, literally being poetic the minute the stars are on sight. Donghyuck laughs at him one time for looking like one of those over dramatic Shakespearean actors in Mr. Byun's theatre class.  _ But that was before, until... _

_ Until  _ he himself saw the star itself.  _ Until _ he himself fell for the star itself. It was never the beauty up above that always held him breathless. It was the boy sitting right next to him —t he boy who wears harry potter like glasses, the boy who has disheveled black hair holding thick celestial calculations and astronomy textbooks, the boy who walks around the campus in basketball shorts and grey hoodie, the boy who taught him how to play basketball but also can’t shoot properly (distracted), the boy who quietly strums his guitar while sitting on the railing of their shared balcony, the boy who finds himself on the roof of their dorm to stare at the stars —the boy  that he admires while that boy admires the stars. Donghyuck requotes his favorite line from John Green in his head.  _ Mark Lee loved the stars so much that he became one. _

"Even though they're just balls of gases, I still wanna touch them," Donghyuck snorts at Mark's determination, earning a harsh push from the Canadian. He chuckles and adjusts himself back besides him. He slides his legs on the flat bricked roof, dangling it on the edge as his fingers start to fidget with the loose thread on the hole of Mark's ripped jeans. "Don't they make you feel... kind of dreamy?"

Donghyuck shoots his head at Mark, their faces inches apart, but he has his head tilting upwards way too much, busy glancing at the stars. Mark's throat bobs up and down as he notices Donghyuck staring. The cold breeze once again whispers in their ears, sending a jolt of electricity down their spines.

Mark shifts his weight on two of his elbows sliding backwards, his head inching away from the younger. Donghyuck hums softly as a reply, his eyes focused on the gleaming stars, getting lost in it's grandeur. Abruptly, something inside him stirs up, like a painful reminder flashing on his mind. Gone is the small smile quickly replaced by a long exhale. His orbs are filled with so many emotions, unfathomable, as he recalls a fragment from the past in which Mark had queried him. 

"How are you not the type to chase it?" He asks, baffled —like it was a crime to not chase the stars and be in love and be lost and trap in the void, your soul being sucked in the most paradisiacal and heavenly way, like a drug, a drug that’s too good to be true, it is in fact true, you just have to try and let your mind wander until there’s nothing, you’ll feel nothing at all, like lost in a daydream but so much better, it’s never a bad thing by the way— pertaining to the stars, brows furrowing forming a crease on his smooth forehead. Donghyuck finds the question very silly, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as he looks at the now silent Mark besides him.

_ "Why would I bother chasing stars that are a billion miles away when the one star I had my eyes on ever since is inches away from me?"  _

It was so ridiculous of Donghyuck to have that precise and dreamy riposte stuck on the depths of his mind —heck it could even pass as an aesthetic quote about falling in love with stars and a person on pinterest— he just hopes it’s a valid retort, a valid reason on why he never wanted to chased the stars, valid enough for Mark to accept and maybe figure out his feelings and then he would lean and kiss him underneath the stars (Donghyuck dreams of that everyday, it’s so nice to dream and be stuck in dream world, but it crashes and a pang of pain strucks his heart as reality hits him. Dreams won’t happen unless he works it out —facing his biggest fear, confronting Mark, confessing )

It was ludicrous for he never worded those to Mark, cowardice being the number one hindrance to truth, candor, and genuineness. But he did act it out. Knowing Mark, who was too blinded by the beauty radiating on the sky and from the fact that Donghyuck is his childhood best friend, whatever romantic shit he does he thinks it's just Donghyuck being sweet just like what he does to everyone else. 

Even when Donghyuck’s actions are with pure malice in the eyes of literally everyone, they know what’s going on, very obvious except for Mark.  Maybe it's also because Mark knows that both of them, particularly Donghyuck, would never try to do anything stupid that would cross the boundaries of their friendship. No, taking a bath together doesn’t cross the boundaries, kissing each other on whatever part of the face excluding the lips also doesn't cross the boundaries, holding hands and hugging to sleep in times of facing fears and the shared traumas, not until Mark becomes thirteen that he stops doing all those, even the smallest affection. It’s like Mark woke up one day and immediately stopped doing skinship with Donghyuck. Donghyuck couldn’t tell what changed. 

But there is one time Donghyuck had confessed to his best friend but unexpectedly conveyed it in the most lowkey way he knew because it exactly corresponded to Mark's question. 

"Donghyuck, do you like that boy from Mr. Byun’s Theater Class?" Mark asks suddenly in the middle of Kart Rider, also the day before Mark graduates and heads off to college. Donghyuck flinches from the question and tries to remember a boy in their class that isn't Mark. But to no avail — to his (mis)fortune, his memory sensory failing him — he ends up saying, "What boy? You?"

Upon hearing the very bold response coming from Donghyuck, Mark chokes on air, literally and ends up losing the game. It was a subtle confession that none of them had expected, or that what Donghyuck thought it was — or it could’ve passed as a teasing joke with literally no meaning and feelings behind it since Donghyuck tends to do it a lot, Mark would’ve probably thought something like that — so Donghyuck laughs it off as he sees Mark with a wrinkled face, the tips of his ears dusted red, struggling for air. 

Donghyuck breaks his chain of thoughts, inhaling sharply, his heart thumping loudly on his chest as he feels a warm sensation on his hand. Mark's hand laid close enough to his that their fingers are crossed to each other. And with that simple movement, with that simple gesture, everything felt exploding inside him. Like his heart is a balloon filled with colors, suddenly bursting by Mark’s simple and unconscious move, splashing bright colors on his insides that makes him feel bright and all tingly. He laughs weakly, he’s so damn smitten, so deeply in love, so corny and cheesy and everything. With flushed cheeks, Donghyuck turns his head away, making sure his  sweet , affectionate smile is nowhere in sight, hiding away from Mark’s beaming eyes —doesn’t matter anyway, because he’s always busy admiring the stars and never Donghyuck.

He badly wants to hold his hand, not just a crossed finger or two. His chest heaving heavily but soon turns to a breathing of dismay when Mark shifts his sitting, hands moving away besides his thighs. The placid smile becomes genuine as he decides to chase the faint warmth. He lets his hand crawl inch by inch, an unnoticeable movement that hasn't gone successfully (yet).

_ How are you not the one to chase them?  _ The corners of Donghyuck's lips tug up .  _ I'm chasing you alright. Just let me catch up.  _ He thinks to himself as he finally succeeds in placing his hand on top of Mark’s. It isn’t intertwined, just slightly crossed, warm skin on warm skin. Donghyuck feels satisfied, it’s enough he thinks. Crossing hands is enough rather than blatant rejection if he tries to actually intertwine his fingers with Mark. Colors once again explode within him as Mark sighs into the sudden warmth. Abruptly, something shifts, as Donghyuck is satisfied, Mark doesn’t seem to. So he snuggles closer to Donghyuck, fuck crossed finger, fuck holding hands, fuck faint warmth, he needs all of it. 

The chilly breeze blows, making the leaves sway within their stem, more reason for Mark to cling to Donghyuck. But Donghyuck — stagnant and astounded —seems to have a rivet, a screw or two unfastened on his brain as he wiggles off Mark’s arms. Blatant rejection. 

"What the?" He snaps at him when the Donghyuck does it again. "I want a hug," Mark insists, a big demanding baby. Donghyuck squints his eyes at him, rubbing his chin. Something isn't right. This clingy Mark, a very rare site. A clingy demanding Mark happens once in a blue moon. Mark slaps into the air near Donghyuck's face whilst whining, "Don't look at me like that." 

"Come on, Donghyuckie chocoball," he calls out again when Donghyuck doesn't move, Mark talks in the softest voice he can muster, so soft and so sweet. He swallows, deep and hard, his cheeks tinted of rosy hue. It's the pet name he created when they were teenagers.

"Chocoball, fetch my food downstairs," a seventeen year old Mark lies in bed sick, ordering Donghyuck all day like he's his personal butler. "You have two legs and two arms, fetch it by yourself." A sixteen year old Donghyuck in his red shorts with a mop of brown curly hair scoffs, skimming the gallery on Mark's phone. 

"Pretty please, Chocoball?" He flashes a pout, his eyes shining to which is the highlight of Donghyuck's warm tangerine afternoon as the action and the pet name Mark gave had his heart melting, the tone he uses is even worse. It makes his knees go weak. And just like that, he's back a minute later, a tray of lunch and side snacks for himself. "Donghyuck is soft for me," Mark teases, "I seriously can't live without you," he continues, filling his mouth.

"Then die," Donghyuck says, plopping back on the couch and abruptly, a flying throw pillow hits his head a bit hard. "Huh, I guess it was called a throw pillow for a reason," Mark smiles in victory. 

The memory flashed, Mark is using the same tone again. Hearing him this needy is very rare. Mark is always, well, Mark. Like the word affection and skinship, especially, doesn't exist in Mark Lee's Vocabulary.

"Mark Lee, what did I tell you about misbehaving?" The corner of Donghyuck’s lips quirks upwards as he imitates Mark's warning of remarks that he always uses on him whenever he gets naughty and does something flirtatious to the audience's eyes. 

"But it's just the two of us," Mark whines again, this time scooting even closer to him. Donghyuck's mind circuits. So what if they were the only ones here and no one could see them? What does that even mean? What does he want to imply? Mark then only noticed the words that came out of his mouth when he saw his friend malfunctioned. So he panics and quickly changes the subject. "Hold on a sec, did you just use my words on me?" Mark refers to what Donghyuck had responded to his behavior. 

"Why not?"

"I'll keep that in mind, Lee Donghyuck." Mark finalizes, distancing himself away from him, rolling his eyes.

"I'll just pretend you love saying my full name." 

Both of them are silent, lost again in their own dreamy thoughts. Donghyuck resumes on being blue while thinking of Mark. What he didn't know is that Mark is thinking of him too.

A few minutes pass, Donghyuck feels something warm embracing him from his side, a mop of raven hair tickling his neck. His breathing comes to a halt, his heart exploding for the third time with the most varying colors this time, all the hues with varying intensities, it’s too much Donghyuck thinks. But he likes it too much to even push him away again. So he lets Mark wrap his arms around his torso, he lets Mark slide his head in the slot of the crook of his neck and takes the time to feel Mark's heartbeat palpitating loudly and a bit quicker than his average ones and let’s the vanilla scent fill up his nose. 

Donghyuck loves it a lot when Mark is like this. So lost, clingy, whiny, warm and comfortable. He smells and feels like home. Home, where they both grew up, back to the old village. A distant memory. Mark is a walking memory of Donghyuck’s life, from the day he turned five, to all the shared traumas, countless fights, peak embarrassing moments, basically everything that shaped Donghyuck. 

He’s lost too, in the arms of Mark, from staring at his heavy head, his pointy nose he always boop to get his attention, and to his slightly ajar pink puffy lips —t he lips he wondered for years on how it would feel to be kissed by it beneath the moon, beneath the stars, on the roof of their shared room —forming a pout. 

He slides Mark’s glasses back into its place using his index finger when he notices it sliding off, hanging low on his nose. He snaps back, booping Mark’s nose in the process to which Mark captures his hand and slaps it lightly before laying it on his lap in between his own rough palms. The butterflies — with its wings, splashes of bright colors from Donghyuck’s insides, flutter prettily, encircling every part of Donghyuck’s stomach, leaving a tingling feeling lingering on the pit of his stomach to his heart —multiplies and flutter intensely when Mark starts rubbing his thumb on Donghyuck’s hand. God, he could just die here and now.

"Donghyuck," he calls him, voice muffled from burrowing his head in the hollow space where Donghyuck’s shoulders and neck meet. "Do you remember how I always count the stars at night?"

Mark inhales deeply, letting himself be drunk off the fresh orchid smell of Donghyuck’s fabric conditioner. Donghyuck catches on finally and lets himself lose the tense and leans on Mark's head comfortably. "You count for seven for seven consecutive nights, and then at the last night, you'll be granted a wish," Mark whispers —his eyes twinkling— fascinated at the superstition he discovered from the depths of the web, eyes filled with hope, desire, and maybe a bit of gullibility.

"That's..." Donghyuck whispers, "So stupid."

He laughs out loud when Mark kicks him on his shin. "It's not! I mean maybe, but I think it's kind of cute," Donghyuck thinks about it as they both fall in a deep silence. Everything feels right. He hopes they can stay like this forever, treasuring this kind of sweet moment with Mark.

They enjoy each other's presence. The silent night blends well with the starry sky, and the breeze surrounding them. Both had their heads up, staring at the same stars, heartbeat beating as one, dreaming the same dream.

Donghyuck, before he met Mark, can be pictured as a sky. A pitch black sky. So dark, so lonely, a world so blue, like a void, nothingness. That was until something exploded. A blinking silver orb was falling, Donghyuck saw it from afar but did not bother chasing, because it's probably like the others. The others, if he's to describe, are brighter stars that shine, they shine so bright in Donghyuck's pitch black sky that he is left unnoticed, unappreciated, only the illuminating ones are sprinkled with love, sprinkled with appreciation and so much great things that Donghyuck would never hear others would dare say to him.

But that changes when he sees this particular star still falling, and blinking. It isn't illuminating brightly like the others, only a hint of silver streaks can be seen, if you look closely enough. Donghyuck watches from afar. Until the blinking has turned into black — that catches his attention — that is when he chases the star and hangs this star on his sky.

Days pass and slowly it gains its luminosity. The star is very much alive once again, and it is all thanks to Donghyuck. For he accepted the falling star, the falling Mark. The broken star, the broken Mark, the true Mark. And molded him into the bright star he is today. 

Donghyuck wasn't even interested in what Mark was mumbling about stars when they were little. He wasn't interested in constellations, like how Mark points at his moles on his cheeks and neck which forms the Big Dipper. He wasn't interested in those falling stars in the sky. But that was before until...

_ Until he himself fell. _

The superstition that Mark had mentioned earlier is stuck on his head all night. He's usually not the type to ponder over imaginary conceptual things nor taking superstitions in his lifestyle. But now that he thinks of it within hours, with the situation he is in, is it worth the try? There is no harm in trying anyways. But why waste your time on silly things? Donghyuck isn't desperate of anything to be wishful (that's a white lie). His brain is screaming no but his heart is screaming yes for a reason. That is when Donghyuck decides to make it happen when something  _ big _ comes up in the next following days.

**Day 1**

The KUBF's Basketball Tournament is one thing that Donghyuck has been looking forward to in months. That one moment where he finally will shine the brightest amongst the most grandeur stars. You see he is indeed one of the dorkiest to ever exist — Mark Lee taking the place first ever since his birth like some ascribed status that he'll never be proud of —but Donghyuck's a fucking math wizard who's also sings so so good in front of his keyboard that it hurts Mark's ears (but his heart enjoys it the most).

But he isn’t just a dork, nor a nerd, nor a pitch black sky. Besides from the fact that he is an ENFP, he's one of the most popular jocks in SMU. Donghyuck fucking Lee, also known as the Most Valuable Player for three consecutive years in Tournaments (or the MVP in Mark’s heart, Renjun teases). While Mark Lee? He leads the pep rally, showing full support on Donghyuck and Donghyuck only, well that's what he likes to think. Pretending that Mark had never been a fan of SMU's Neo Raptors the year before Donghyuck had joined or that Mark made out with their all around famous captain, Jaehyun Jung. 

But that has never been a problem, he wasn't jealous —another lie— okay, maybe a bit, but he thinks he already won the non-existent competition between him and Jaehyun as Donghyuck gets to see Mark drool over him every time he body rolls into Justin Beiber's Yummy after shooting a 3 points shot. 

Mark comes running to Donghyuck before he rides the bus, already wearing his pep rally shirt in neon green, their team logo printed in rubber with the university's initials. "Good luck." He says, breathless. He always does this, whenever Donghyuck leaves for a game. Mark does this as his personal basketball coach and of course, as his best friend. 

Donghyuck stares at him, his eyes searching for something more than just the ordinary and overly used  _ good luck _ . Jaehyun then pops his head from the window, "I'll win this one for you, Mark Lee," he winks. "Same time later?" 

Mark bats an eye at him and then twitches as he feels a slight dark energy coming from someone near him. Jaehyun snickers as his eyes go back and forth to Mark and Donghyuck and then he goes back inside the bus with his annoying whistling habit.

Donghyuck clears his throat, his eyebrow arching. "I swear, I'm not hitting on him... anymore," Mark defends and pulls his friend behind the tall bushes when he gives a look of disappointment and doubt and the everly irresistible pout. 

"I'll always root for you. You know that right?" Mark confirms and pulls him into a tight embrace when he only accepts a wacky face as a response. He wraps his hand on Donghyuck's waist and the latter returns it, arms snaking on his neck, sighing into the warmth. Mark then gives him a peck on his cheek before heading back to Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics Department. Donghyuck touches his cheek, slick of Mark’s saliva, his heart beating fast as he watches the figure of the Canadian slowly disappearing between bodies and then he finally goes inside the building. Donghyuck goes back to the bus, fighting the urge to pull the annoying smirk his captain throws at him.

The finals makes Donghyuck mad, crazy, and nervous as he sits on the bench, a red bull drink in his hand. He glances to the right side of the stadium where the roaring crowd is spitting fire as they recite their chant with all their might, releasing the tigers within them. Hot Shots, their opponent, their legendary captain, Ten and their newly added teammate, the youngest, the MVP during his junior high, Zhong Chenle. 

Donghyuck's heart palpitates. Everything is deafening him, resulting in lack of focus on what his coach is mumbling about. They put their hands together and a loud growl echoes through the stadium. The benches are glowing green, like a field of grass but one person in particular stands out the most. The bright light in the front row seat. A weird hat that has a sun shape to it, glowing bright yellow, like a dandelion in the middle of the grass, owned by none other than Mark fucking Lee. 

Time seems to slow down as Mark raises their university’s banner and a letter D balloon, shaking non stop as he cheers. There’s a DSLR camera hanging on his neck. His prominent cheekbones are full on display, his eyes glistening from the stadium lights, his voice loud and clear and distinct, chanting with all his might. Donghyuck sweats on his jersey immediately as he stands there for minutes as his coach yells at him, his teammates snapping him out, but to no avail because he is so lost in the universe of Mark’s eyes. 

"Hey! Get your ass on the court!" Renjun calls, two of his hands caving his mouth for a loud and clear sound for Donghyuck to snap.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Mark squints his eyes, facing eye to eye with his best friend, Donghyuck’s eyes widening. Yangyang cackles in his place.

"Motherfucker totally has the hots for you, Mark. Come on, snap him out!"

"Yangyang remove your shirt." Renjun tugs on the other boy’s shirt.

Donghyuck is glued on his place, eyes only at Mark. Until something slaps him hard. He groans from the pain of a heavy clothing material hitting his cheek. He finally snaps and the first thing he sees is Yangyang’s naked torso, then his eyes dart at Mark screaming at him and Renjun fuming mad. Donghyuck blinks a couple of times before registering the unfortunate events and abruptly, smiles then smirks, regaining his confidence back.

He throws back the shirt to his friends' direction and Yangyang catches it with ease, twisting and swinging the shirt above his head like a cowboy with excitement and screams, "Yeah! Get it baby!" Nothing seems to come out of Renjun's mouth other than curses, ignoring the professor’s glare at him from below their row. Donghyuck has wild friends. 

He jogs to the court, the long strands of his hair bouncing and the crowd cheers as they start shooting and passing before the game starts. Donghyuck runs to his teams and slaps their captain's ass playfully and daps up Yukhei and Jeno. 

The first to third quarter is definitely in heat as soon as the Hot Shots step on the court. Donghyuck riles up, the heavy amount of meals Mark made him consume during the past days finally kicking in. Before the last quarter begins, Donghyuck jogs to his friends' place. Mark immediately pushes Renjun and Yangyang away and both curses him for it. "Well you look like shit," Mark says, not usually the first thing anyone would say after getting beat the hell up by the opponent.

"Renjun is rooting for Hot Shots," Yangyang claims, face twisting in disgust while handing Donghyuck a bottle of cold water, massaging his arms. "I am because Donghyuck is so stupid, he literally passed the ball to Jeno! Hello? That dumbfuck has the best dribbling tricks like a fucking circus that he literally forgot to pass it! Just how stupid is that?" 

"You're just mad everyone has the hots for him. You can't deny it," Mark teases and proceeds to dry Donghyuck with his towel. He cards the towel softly into his hair, squeezing the sweat out from his locks. Donghyuck doesn't mind Renjun punching him as he's too busy adoring Mark like this. He then catches Mark’s eyes, and he swears, he sees the whole universe in them, just like every single day, minute and second. He stares at him longer than he had expected, admiring his wondrous eyes, the lovely curve of his nose, to the bright smile making him fall even harder, then watches Mark's throat bob and his own dries at that. Donghyuck licks his chapped lips and immediately a towel slaps into his face as Mark moves to his back, wiping the sweat on his nape and at the back of his head.

"Was I amazing back there?" Donghyuck asks, a bit loud — turning his head slightly to look at Mark — as Renjun and Yangyang's bickering overpower the crowd. A gentle smile plants on his face. 

"Hm, you're fine.” Mark musters with full honesty. 

"Just fine?" He turns around, distressed, towards Mark, brow arched along with a playful smirk dancing on his lips. He grabs his shoulder and whips him on his back again to continue dry his sweat, his breathing dangerously close on Donghyuck's nape.

"Yeah, just fine," Mark repeats, his breathy laugh fans over the sensitive skin, causing Donghyuck to shudder despite the disappointment from the response he got. 

"Okay fine fine, I’m fine, alright. Was I at least hot though?" Sighing in defeat, he tilts his head to see his reaction unexpecting the sudden cockiness radiating from Mark. "On a scale of one to ten," Donghyuck interjects quickly as soon as Mark opens his mouth. He turns around this time to fully face the Canadian, his hand never leaving his nape, the towel tickling him. Mark cocks his head, the naughty smug growing. 

"I'm hovering somewhere between negative five to eleven."

Donghyuck widens his eyes at that. He should be proud because it isn’t just ten, but a whole goddamn eleven, but the fact that Mark is also hovering in negative? What in tarnation? Donghyuck rethinks of his behaviour and appearance, becoming conscious as he wonders what in particular had made Mark hover over so low. "Negative — " He splutters, head lowering, glaring furiously at Mark. "I'm gonna choke you."

"When we go back to the dorms tonight? Sure." 

Donghyuck furrows his brows — stares at the way Mark darts his tongue to wet his lower lip with the stupid smug on his face — unable to understand what he just said until it hits him. He turns beet red, face wrinkling, eyes throwing daggers at Mark. He's so unpredictable sometimes and definitely not this bold, especially in public. Mark cackles, his hand still hanging on Donghyuck's nape along with the towel while his head tilts backwards.

"Fuck you." Donghyuck utters and shoves Mark's hand away from him unwarranted. 

"How hard?"

"Ugh stop!" 

Mark's laughter grows louder as he catches the whining Donghyuck to sit him down when he halfy stood up and hugs him unconsciously from the back —a habit Mark developed ever since they were young, just hugging Donghyuck if he’s near and he finds something remotely funny.

"I was just kidding." He says, lips in a pout, laughter muffled as he does it inwardly and proceeds on drying him, on his back this time. Donghyuck's cheeks are pretty red, shuddering from time to time as Mark's skin brushes softly on the soft skin of his back. 

"I really don't understand this piece of shit," Yangyang grumbles to Donghyuck. "A moment ago he was all over Yukhei's ass and then he says he wants to bite Jeno's lips and now he's throwing tantrums because Jaemin winked at him!" Renjun smacks him hard, earning a groan from Yangyang. 

"I am not!"

“Jaemin? Jaemin Na? The point guard with the crazy strawberry locks?” Donghyuck asks, a bit baffled because he’s a new player on Hot Shots. “Yeah, he's a new recruited member, joined before the season’s game starts, also a transferee from Jeonju,” Yangyang confirms, seriously staring at the other side of the court, until he notices them staring at him. “What? That’s from our very reliable source right here, the one and only Mr. Huang.” 

Donghyuck frets to Mark, “That’s Na? That kid from Mr. Byun’s theater class?” 

“Yes, Donghyuck,” he replies, perplexed by Donghyuck's bafflement, “didn’t you like him or like had a crush back in high school?” Donghyuck arches his brow at Mark’s question as he tries to dig deep through his memory about him liking the said boy and there was none. But there was a time when Mark had questioned him with the same query. “Didn’t you ask me this already?” Donghyuck refutes back to him.

There’s a pink blush tainting Mark’s cheek as he thinks, the memory hitting him, he’s silent so Donghyuck continues, “You asked me if I liked that one boy from theater class, right? And you were pertaining to Na, right?” Deja vu, Donghyuck feels. He remembers his half ass confession to Mark that time when he was asked, but it doesn’t matter now, what matters now is what the hell prompted Mark for him to conclude that he likes Jaemin? 

Mark ignores Donghyuck’s question and snickers to Renjun instead. “Renjun, how are you even able to get a good look of Jeno’s lips when you’re like twenty-three feet away?” He asks showing no difficulties in calculating the distance between them and the players inside the court.

“The television exists for something doesn’t it? God Mark, technology has been a thing ever since, I can’t believe I’m friends with you.” 

“Who said we were friends?”

Yangyang clings onto Donghyuck as they wheeze at the two, completely amused. Mark then gathers Donghyuck’s long bangs and pulls it into a tiny ponytail. Donghyuck loves the way his hands move gently, carding his fingers through it slowly like Mark's treating a baby. Or perhaps, maybe he is his baby. He giggles to himself when Mark checks him out as he stands up, proceeding to the other side of the court as Misfit booms in the arena.

Donghyuck runs back to court literally in the middle of Yeji's cheerleading squad performance and he dances along with the captain and everyone cheers. Mark rolls his eyes, lips forming into a crescent, amused. Yangyang takes a video and Renjun bravely bashes his friend, earning yet another glare from Mr. Moon and a burning stare from someone in Hot Shots. Ryujin daps up with him and runs to the Neos when Jaehyun calls him.

The last quarter finally starts and Donghyuck steps in again as Chenle is still on the court. The last 3 seconds, Donghyuck had managed to score a 3 point shot that had the tie score break. Pretty Savage plays and Donghyuck dances to it, doing the choreography on the chorus part of the song, spinning his head in the center along with Yukhei and Jungwoo. The crowd growls louder as he starts body rolling to Mmmh alone, and they cheer and cheer until it deafens his ears. The victory has yet taken his side and with that he decides to kiss Mark Lee that night, for literally no reasons, just pure joy. 

“Congratulations, Donghyuck,” a boy with pink hair jogs to Donghyuck, his white duffel bag hanging loosely on his shoulders. Jaemin Na, the flirty point guard as they say. “And to your team.” He says with a small smile and offers Donghyuck his hand. Donghyuck shakes the acquainted hand. 

“Congratulations to you too as well, and to your team. You actually did well, especially that little monster.” Donghyuck laughs awkwardly, Jaemin’s hand still gripping on his as he tries to wiggle out of it. Suddenly, the pink haired boy lets go of it, apologizing then blasts off.  _ After all these years, he’s still weird. _ Donghyuck thinks. He watches the pink hair go disappear but not until he stops at a brown mop of hair in a green shirt. Jaemin is talking to Renjun, and the body language and the smiles they share. Donghyuck smirks as he watches them exchange numbers from afar, even with the crowd present he can see the blush on his friend’s cheek.

The Championship Party will happen next week precisely after seven days. But this triumph that Donghyuck had taken home again is enough reason to swim on a dance floor with hundreds of drunk bodies and let himself be drowned in loads of beer in a bar their coach had rented for them near SMU. Even if it's on a Wednesday, because on Wednesdays, instead of just wearing pink, you should be drinking. Guaranteed, proven, and tested.

Donghyuck has been enjoying every minute of partying, his muscles giving up. Thankfully Yukhei, his dancing partner for the whole night, takes him to the nearest couch where he can rest for a bit. “There, will you be okay by yourself?” Yukhei asks, face displaying worryness so Donghyuck boops his forehead, “I’m good, idiot”

The tall guy laughs, displaying the nicest set of teeth and Donghyuck might just fall for it,  _ again _ . “Hey, I was wondering, tonight if I can —” 

Alcohol. Anything that comes out of Yukhei’s mouth isn’t good if his breath wafts the smell of alcohol and smoke. So Donghyuck cuts him right there and shakes his head, declining. Yukhei has a sad face on his lips when he goes back to the dance floor with his teammates. 

It's ten in the evening and Donghyuck hadn't seen Mark. He’s a bit tipsy, but carries on to the second floor where he sees Yangyang swinging his shirt exposing his very toned body and his so called abs. He asks Renjun where Mark is and points him to one of the turns near the fire exit.

Donghyuck sees the stairs and finds Mark and oh sees him alright. The pit of his stomach churns, it stings, a pang of pain on his chest, as he sees the love of his life throwing himself all over some dude from Hot Shots. Oh, it was the flirty point guard, Jaemin Na. The scene is very hot and steamy and he knows he shouldn't be watching. But he sees it, and he hates it. He hates the way Mark brushes his hand on Jaemin's cheek. He hates the way Mark is carding his delicate fingers into Jaemin's pink locks. He hates the way Mark is sharing his warmth to someone that is not him. He hates the way that Mark is kissing someone who isn’t him. And it’s all Donghyuck’s fault.

Donghyuck inhales sharply stepping backwards to the scene but then he hits a metal chair that clanged as it hits the silver table. He uses the stairs and runs up — unconsciously ignoring the fact that they heard him, unconsciously ignoring the fact that Mark had seen him running away from him with a worried look on his face —n ot even knowing where it leads until he pushes open the heavy secured door and is greeted by the evening chilly breeze. 

Donghyuck couldn't find himself to be mad at Mark, not when he knows he isn't his, or the fact that they are best of friends and nothing else. He should've been a supporting character for his friend instead and not ruin his story. 

He sits on the concrete rail. Feet dangling into the air where he's three stories far above from the ground. He traces the tiny cars below with his feet then tilts his head. He breathes out slowly, puffing out a cold air. Letting the small pang subside but it doesn’t apparently. How foolish of Donghyuck to break his own heart, getting sad over a thing he won’t do anything about either. It’s like getting sad and frustrated because the seed you planted didn’t grow to be the exquisite rose it was meant to be, but in the end it’s you to be blamed because you didn’t take care enough of the plant, the efforts aren’t enough. It’s obviously Donghyuck who lost. 

He immediately finds himself smiling. He then sees the pitch black sky, the stars decorating them, ethereal as ever. He tries reaching out, and his gentle smile remains as his heart gets heavier. Donghyuck, bubu the fool. Donghyuck who loves his best friend with his whole heart, gets broken apparently because he can’t admit his love for him, the fear of rejection eating him alive from the skin to his insides until there’s nothing left.

He closes his eyes, he sees Mark — hands so delicate running on locks who aren’t his, eyes tightly closed, lashes fluttered close prettily on his flushed cheek, slick red lips slipping on another pair of lips that aren’t his, it hurts to have the picture glued on his mind, hurts that he isn’t the one Mark’s kissing —he opens his eyes again sees the stars and suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind. 

_ You count for seven for seven consecutive nights, and then at the last night, you'll be granted a wish. _

Mark’s sweet voice echoes. Superstitions aren’t unusual to Donghyuck, in fact he actually does a lot of them unconsciously, just a part of the culture and becoming a natural habit he picks up as he grows up. But this one, the counting of stars in particular, is kind of new and unheard of. 

Wishes, Donghyuck cackles, nothing about wishing makes sense. To think that Disney had lied to him about having a fairytale of his own, a handsome prince, a castle if you just wish upon a star. To think that the shooting star — a once in a blue moon appearance that causes fuss here and there to wish upon, your wishes coming true —is like the grandest lottery one could ever win. 

But  it’s all misinformation — because shooting stars in reality are just giant rocks falling from the sky, the light streaks are dust burning up as the meteoroids falls in a quick pace pulled by the gravity of the earth — that causes children to dream and imagine way beyond, looking up the stars and dreaming and wishing, when in reality you should work hard for your dreams and wishes because just like Lady Tremaine had said, nothing comes free in this poor and sad world. 

But it’s all for fun, Donghyuck reasons. Besides there isn’t any harm in trying anyway. What could possibly go wrong? So, immediately out of boredom and to distract himself from the pang of pain crawling on the pit of his stomach, Donghyuck starts counting the stars, as Mark mentioned of the superstition. 

"One, two," he counts silently on his head as he raises his arm, index finger pointing at the stars. "Three, four..." 

"Five, six...” The ends of his lips curl up, hoping he doesn’t cross upon a starless night for it would ruin his streak because apparently the superstition requires seven consecutive nights for it to work — not that he’s really taking it seriously, it’s just that he finds joy in doing it so — and well, what do you know, he might actually give Mark props for searching deep in the web for an unusual superstition _ if  _ it ever does work. 

"Seven." He huffs. The wind blows again, his long bangs blurring his vision. The leaves are swaying from the dancing branches. Some of them fall and land gracefully on his face. The sweet and tender smile  unfaltering as it dances across his lips. He flutters his eyes close — unaware of the rooftop door opening, someone familiar entering, prompting close to Donghyuck — seemingly lost in the dream world as he goes into a deep slumber, props to the alcohol and pain and maybe the stars. 

**Day 2**

The next day arrives. Luckily, they all had a vacant somewhere in between twelve until one in the afternoon for three consecutive days in a week. Donghyuck blasts out from the AVR while securing his laptop on his bag on the way to the field.

"Can y'all fucking explain to me why the fuck did I woke up to Yangyang's foot in my delicate face?" He questions, sitting down on one of the circular bleachers and tables on the field where his friends are already eating, the conversation suddenly pulls into an abrupt halt. "Nothing happened right?" Showing a horrified face when none of them responded immediately. 

"Can you at least have some decency?" Yangyang utters, disgusted at the thought of doing — what two persons on the same bed should be doing when they’re drunk, flushed, and hot — it with Donghyuck. “I don’t do it with my friends.” He clears and he shudders.

"You just called yourself out, idiot," Renjun says to him before facing Donghyuck, "And you're a fucking idiot." 

"What, why? What did I do?" Donghyuck pleads to the two devils of his friends. 

"Let the curiosity kill him," Yangyang whispers to Renjun but loud enough for it to be audible so Donghyuck hits him in the arm. He pops his tongue out to annoy him then shows a picture of Donghyuck sleeping peacefully on the comfort of his warm sheets, his mouth wide open, there's a glistening drool on the corner of his lips and Yangyang's foot on the opening of his mouth. The two cackle so hard and black mails Donghyuck into buying them cold scoops from the ice cream parlor shop down the street that just recently opened. 

"Fine!" 

He doesn't even know how he got to Yangyang and Yukhei's shared dorm. All he remembers is that he was counting the stars last night and closed his eyes. And the weirdest thing of all is that he woke up in Yukhei's bed, with a different set of clothing with Yangyang besides him. When he got back to his dorm, Mark wasn't around, the telescope and his books were untouched. The bathroom was unexpectedly dry considering that it usually takes two hours to dry out since Mark showers the messiest and is always late. Which means only one thing, Mark didn’t go home last night. 

At the end of the day, they never told him anything about last night, he sighs, defeated. Donghyuck exhales infuriatingly, eyes stuck on the window to the field in hopes of seeing Mark pass by, his professor’s voice muffled as worry eats him from the inside. He tries texting and calling him but to no avail, it directs him to voice messages.

He goes home at six in the evening with Mark still missing in action. It’s very odd because he texts whenever he goes home late, he never goes out with a stranger and there’s no person he would stay at other than Renjun’s especially after a party, and he's usually back at the dorm by five during Thursdays. 

Donghyuck calms himself as he drinks a glass of water, as he paces the room until he ends up trusting Mark of his actions. Besides he’s a whole 21 year old grown ass man, he could take care of himself. The nervousness subsides a bit and somehow he’s able to breathe after a couple of convincing.

He sits on the couch at the balcony, seeping through the lenses. Donghyuck uses the telescope to look at the stars and he breathes out slowly. His soul being sucked by the overwhelming beauty. He closes his eyes as the chilly wind blows, brushing softly through the strands of his hair, sending shivers down his spine, sending a couple of leaves down his lap. 

As usual, Mark’s bright smile greets him. His head is heavy on the crook of Donghyuck’s neck, thumb rubbing comforting circles on Donghyuck’s hand. He opens his eyes, the sad reality slapping him, another reason to depend on a superstition that makes no sense at all. Donghyuck admits he's hopeful and gullible and so he counts the stars until he reaches seven. The chilly wind makes its way back to Donghyuck, blowing soft puffs of air on his face. The stars twinkle as he makes his wish.

_ One, two _ … 

Mark comes home later that evening and feels the need to apologize to Donghyuck, so he runs to him on the couch and sits down, "I was out with Jaemin, I'm sorry. I left my phone here uncharged because I was running late for Chem earlier and I happen to — " 

Donghyuck wants to hug him tight, to calm him down. It's never a big deal because Mark is a grown up man, he has his own life, and is clearly not entitled and obligated to update and tell Donghyuck stuff and apologize for everything he has no control of. Donghyuck doesn't say it though instead voices out his usual kind of rude response just to tick Mark out for no reason really, "Oh, I'm not worried at all," he cuts him off. Mark’s face fell. 

"Okay, jeez," he ends up saying as he sees the parallel line displayed on Donghyuck's forehead. They both burst into a soft giggle after a good minute of comfortable silence. Mark then excuses and locks himself in his room and doesn't come out to watch his all time favorite series The Big Bang Theory or even checks the stars on his balcony to study and explore more. Very odd. 

_ Three, four... _

Donghyuck decides to spend the rest of the night on the court besides their dorm building to let time pass by and to subside the pain he didn’t even know had piled up just to this day. From the fact that Mark had spent the entire day with Jaemin, a complete stranger he just made out last night. Donghyuck shrugs the thought off. Turns out Yangyang and Renjun or either of his teammates are busy, so he ends up playing alone on the court, draining all his energy as he continuously dribbles and shoots. He gets home later that evening, around ten. 

The first thing Donghyuck does as he enters the dorm room is to silently stand on the door frame for a good ten seconds. Confirming if it really is Mark on the balcony, holding a journal on his hand and a pen while adjusting the telescope. He smiles and walks inside to his room, lays his duffel gym bag on the floor and removes his stinky jersey, wet with sweat. 

Donghyuck remembers the day he bought the telescope for Mark's twentieth birthday, the Gsyker, which came all the way from Germany. A big kudos to Yangyang for bringing it home when the semester break was over. It did cost an arm and leg though, he worked hard day and night, having side jobs like singing on resto bars as a gig, working part time for a karaoke bar for two months and earning big time prizes every year when he competed in Mathematics and Science Olympics in Gangnam. 

They both had set up the telescope in his and Mark's shared balcony, a blanket fort with lights, a round table, and a small couch. Every night he would spend hours, learning and exploring everything he has, needs and wants to know about space. Donghyuck is a curious child, so he asks Mark if he can explore with him and Mark is more than happy to show him everything he knows. This is their safe haven, well mostly Mark's space. But he doesn't let anyone step on his balcony, not even Renjun, his number one buddy (the perks of taking the same course and being a high-school friend) besides Donghyuck of course. 

When freed from the sweaty jersey, he slips his head on the door to check. The coast is clear, Mark is still facing his telescope, his back displayed on Donghyuck’s view. One thing he hated about their dorm is that you literally have to pass by the balcony (as it is only separated by a glass sliding door) when going to the bathroom. So, with his naked torso and a towel covering his body from the waist below, Donghyuck runs as fast as he can, mentally shouting all of the curse words he knew, hoping Mark is too busy with his shit. It’s not like Mark hadn’t seen him naked from head to toe. He’s just become conscious recently for some reasons.

"Why are you running?" Mark asks bluntly from the balcony and Donghyuck tenses as he stops from his tracks, holding tightly the poorly wrapped towel around his waist, exposing more sunkissed skin from the lower part of his body. Just three more steps until he reaches the bathroom door. He turns around slightly to look at Mark, swallowing any signs of discomfort, consciousness and uneasiness he has on his face. 

But Mark’s lip quirks up cockily and Donghyuck knows his feign facade’s going down. He never turned this shade of beet red before, it spreads like wildfire on his cheeks to his ears and neck. His chest flushed, his eyes twitching from irritation and embarrassment because Mark is fucking looking at him right now through the telescope and it’s so fucking hot and embarrassing at the same time. 

Donghyuck gets impossibly even more red as he thinks of whatever lens Mark is using right now or if he turned on the telescopic lens which will allow the viewer to see up very closely to the subject in 35p, in layman’s terms, very high quality. The pain had subsided for now, obviously weak and smitten and whipped over Mark with just the bare minimum, really. Donghyuck denies it in his head and makes the excuse of Mark being all flirty and bold —a very rare case, the recent one from the game yesterday—to be weak and let the grudges slide off and disappear completely. He hates it, how Mark just can be just himself and breathe the same air as Donghyuck and it automatically takes all the pain he caused. Yep definitely weak, smitten, whipped for the menace.

"Mark fucking Lee, I bought that telescope for you to look at the planets and stars not on my butt and my naked body!" Donghyuck groans, tries covering the exposed skin with his hand, like it will save him. Mark releases the ugliest laugh ever, eyes still on the telescope which is pointed at him, his hands adjusting the knobs to zoom in or out on whatever part he’s looking at Donghyuck. 

"What, why? You're a star Donghyuck. You're literally a ball of sunshine, so please let me do the honor of exploring you." That came out so wrong, he flinches as his roommate didn't even realize what he said or maybe he really did just pull that pun, is he even aware of it being sexual? Donghyuck finds it hot and goes more bewildered.

"Oh my god Mark. I swear, one day, your co-pilot will beat the crap out of you and throw you out in space for no goddamn reason," Donghyuck proclaims a reference from some game he became addicted in and finally enters the bathroom and locks the door, leaving his roommate laughing so loud in the balcony and continues his poor attempt at flirting using his astronomy knowledge on Donghyuck.

“Oh no you won't do that! You are gonna kis-"

"What do you mean  _ you _ ? I’m no pilot Mark, I'm gonna be a doctor!"

"No you're not!"

“For the last time, I am!”

_ Five, six... _

Donghyuck randomly sends the code to their group chat to play Among Us after showering and snuggling comfortably on the warmth of his bed sheet. He makes his character a vegetable using the orange skin and the leaf as a hat and names himself as carat, because he looks like a carrot and he loves Seventeen, you get it.

**default name:** carat really? u aint so slick mfer

**carat:** im gonna kick ur fucking ass renjun

**XUXI:** babe start the game alr <3

**rawr:** yea no shit

Donghyuck is an impostor along with a red character named Rawr. Five minutes into the game and Jeno is killed, so the player Rawr self reports. 

**XUXI:** Donghyuck wasn't the impostor >o<

**default name:** ok?

**feces:** we get it, u have a love life n we dont, stop rubbing it in our faces

**XUXI:** i jus love hyuck sm u cant stop me -_-

**_carat:_ ** awe u do? i didn't notice

**XUXI:** i literally kiss you all the time wdym u didnt notice -.-

**notgerman:** who tf is feces? 

**jEn0d$t:** R?? THEY?? NOT?? GONNA?? AVENGE?? ME?? HELLO?? IM?? DEAD ??

**_rawr:_ ** no one cares

They continue playing. Yukhei follows Donghyuck to his fake tasks, neglecting his own tasks, just wanting to hang around Donghyuck and soon player Rawr catches them and follows them everywhere, tailing. Yukhei calls an emergency meeting because player Rawr has become madly suspicious around this time.

**_rawr:_ ** xuxi sus 

**XUXI:** wait what? u literally followed me and my loml to our honeymoon ///

**notgerman:** was the /// supposed to be a knife emoji?

**XUXI:** obv ./.

**feces:** carat sus

**default name:** VOTE THAT MFER OUT

**notgerman:** I KNEW IT 

**_carat:_ ** WAIT LET ME PROVE MYSELF 

Donghyuck gets ejected, eventually and then another self report incident happens, no shit because player Rawr is pretty good,  _ familiar.  _

**XUXI:** NO BABE I WILL AVENGE YOU </3

But to his misfortune, player Rawr manages to kick Yukhei out of the game.

**_carat:_ ** hey y did u kicked xuxi out u evil space human being

**_rawr:_ ** bc he was flirting wid u nd i dont like it

**default name:** y cant someone be jealous lyk that on me 

**notgerman:** bc no one wants u, not even bella and daegal 

**default name:** yangyang is the impostor

**feces:** i knew it, u fucking traitor

**notgerman:** IM NOT DUMBFUCKS

_ Seven _

Donghyuck has a hard time sleeping, for he wonders and assumes and concludes without solid evidence besides from the fact that Mark was jealous of him and Yukhei based on a game earlier. Rawr, the sound the lion makes. Lion, the animal Donghyuck had named Mark because he looks like one. Mark isn’t so slick afterall, and this time, Donghyuck’s not stupid and dumb enough to not know that the red player named Rawr is indeed Mark. Renjun must’ve messaged him the code. His heart tingles everywhere, stupid butterflies that shouldn’t even flutter are present when he learnt of Mark being jealous. Another rare case, Donghyuck adds before finally losing off the thoughts as the darkness invades his vision.

**Day 3**

Donghyuck convinces himself to not wish again, as if that superstition will even happen anyway. So assured of himself, neglecting the power of the stars, just because of what happened last night. Donghyuck has a bright smile on his face when he sees his friends. He convinces himself to stop and put an end to his madness of superstition but also he didn’t want to dissipate what he started, knowing that he’s two nights away from the said goal. Oh Donghyuck, still poor when it comes to decision making. 

So, to cease the discourse on his mind, he asks Yangyang and Renjun to clarify things. An opinion and advice from his rascals of a friend wouldn't matter and is extremely the least thing he would do but desperate times calls for desperate measures. So he tells them of the seven stars and its ability to grant wishes, apparently.

"I've done that before." Renjun affirms.

"Wait, you did?" Yangyang unbelievably looks at him and Donghyuck forces him to elaborate on the matter.

"Yeah, I wished to be taller and then boom. I grew.” He says seriously, forcing an end on the further explanation Donghyuck pushes him to do. 

Donghyuck smacks him in the head and Yangyang bursts an ugly laugh when Renjun's specs fall into his arms, luckily. "Huang, can you just please be serious for a second, I'm begging you. My love life is at peril!"

"I am you imbecile!" Renjun fixes his specs and shoves his hair back, his hair gracefully landing back to its place on the sides of his forehead. "It did happen, I grew about thirty centimeters or more." Yangyang widens his eyes in amusement and asks more details about it.

"And it took you seven days to grow?" Donghyuck interrogates, suspicious. 

"No, you dimwit. It took me seven years." 

Donghyuck swears to choke him and Renjun lunges forward to fight him while Yangyang just sits there, brain still processing, his lips ajar as his brain blanks out, "Huh?" 

The hitting stops when Renjun’s phone buzzes, he picks up the call and something about his smile tells Donghyuck that he’s totally seeing someone. “Goodbye boys, your bitch got some rendezvous to attend to so, bye!” And just like that he dashes off quickly to the end of the building where the old public library is. 

“Absolutely Jaemin.” Yangyang fusses to which Donghyuck finds surprising yet unexpected at the same time. But wait, Jaemin and Renjun? He remembers their encounter during the game but isn’t Mark and Jaemin? They kissed, they dated, there’s totally something going on. Donghyuck is lost. He wants to ask Yangyang but he seems much more clueless than him and very oblivious.

Donghyuck continues his classes. He chuckles, finding it funny how Neurology, his favorite class, somehow got boring. He tries to focus on his professor as he tackles the approach to neurological syndromes. He tries to ignore the prying eyes of Yukhei, being all in glory on the platform as he assists the other students, being all that goody of a shoes teacher’s assistant. He forces close his laptop, unable to type and add in more data on his research, mind blanking out and travelling on what seems to be the wire connections of his friend, Renjun and his dear Mark to Jaemin. 

He hisses then massages his temples, like his mind just popped a nerve. So he texts his number one pain reliever.

To:  **thiccbootycanadaboy </3**

where r u?

A few minutes pass and there’s still no reply. So he focuses on what’s important in front of him. A good minute of spacing out later, he’s finally able to juice and extract out his brain for more information, his fingers typing out fast enough before he loses the train of thoughts he has for his final research paper. Donghyuck smirks, finally having the time of his life as knowledge flows nonstop, filling about two pages worth of datas until the inevitable comes, the distraction. His phone pops open, his wallpaper catching his eye. A silhouette of two people, behind them are two large stars hanging from the ceiling —pollux and castor, the twins, gemini—inside the planetarium in Busan where Mark had taken him for Donghyuck’s birthday a few months ago. His smile widens when Mark’s name is displayed on his screen and his message. He pops open his imessage.

**thiccbootycanadaboy </3 : **

miss me alr?

**bear :**

u wish 

**thiccbootycanadaboy </3 :**

then y r u disturbing me u know i cant text during class 

renjun is glaring @ me… but also covering up 4 me 

**bear :**

jus get me the usual yea? 

i get off in like less than an hour 

**thiccbootycanadaboy </3 : **

say the magic word first :p

  1. its not please ****



**bear :**

fine. i missed u. 

now get me the usual ok?

**thiccbootycanadaboy </3 : **

uhh isnt “ramen” our magic word… 

for like our entire lifetime hahaha

but that would do ig, honesty suits u a lot ;)

Donghyuck blushes at the winking emoji, puts down his phone and exhales heavily, covering his face with both of his hands. He can’t stop the smile dancing on his lips as he finalized his paper then submits it to his professor for proofreading. 

He gets out of the avr and tries his best to avoid Yukhei's annoying ass to talk about the game last night or whatever unfinished business he has with him and goes straight to the gym earlier than he is supposed to. He quickly changes into his training jersey for a friendly match with some of the Hot Shots that are coming over. He goes to the court and throws in a couple of shots which all goes bad. He continues shooting for fifteen minutes straight but none of the ball lunges into the hoop. 

“God, am I that distracted?”

Suddenly there's a squeaky sound from a pair of sneakers that definitely isn't his and he turns around to see Mark carrying a plastic bag. His black NASA shirt is wrinkled and his hair a bit disheveled like he ran the three buildings apart from the gym to his building. He has a cheeky smile as he pops open the lid and hands Donghyuck the bottle of cold water from the bag, greeting him softly.

“Here you go.” 

“You’re earlier than I thought. Don’t you have like — what about thirty minutes more before you’re dismissed?” Donghyuck queries, inspecting him from his messy hair, a visible line of sweat dripping down the sides of his face and the sweat on his neck. “Did you sprint your way here?” 

Mark shakes his head, biting the insides of his cheek to stop the gentle smile from widening, his prominent cheekbones displaying. “Nonsense,” he says then steals the ball on Donghyuck’s grasp. 

They play one versus one and as expected neither of them had scored in the past twenty minutes so they lay on the vinyl flooring, gasping for air. He breathes heavily as he sits up, looking at Mark. There are no words exchanged in between them after, just the tension that unknowingly came out of nowhere. His heart pounds heavily and loudly, not wanting to know if it's from dehydration or Mark, to which is probably both. 

Donghyuck watches Mark get up and goes straight to the benches where his Jansport backpack is. He lies down again, closing his eyes, catching his breath. Letting the comfort of the cold cement take over control of his body. He senses Mark sitting down besides near his head. He gets startled when he feels a shocking cold damp cloth presses down on the expanse of his forehead. Mark rubs the cloth gently on his face. He rubs gently on his temples, around his head and then down to his neck. Donghyuck turns to his back. Flipping and lying down on his stomach, so Mark can access on his back to dry the sweat. 

“Can’t believe I’m doing this.” Mark disgustingly says, exhaling then twists his face. Donghyuck feels the cloth on the skin beside his ear then slowly down to his nape, where he suspiciously rubs a bit longer and applying more pressure like there's some unremovable mark he wants to get rid of. All this, not breaking eye contact. 

“And you reek. Your scent wafts in the whole room, glad your teammates haven't passed out,” Mark teases. Donghyuck slaps his hand away from him, snorting. “You’re the one to talk. At least I didn’t fart on the public library and didn’t blame the poor innocent kid next to me when they all looked at me.” 

Mark purses his lips, leaning his head back as he takes in the daggers being thrown. “That was one time!” He defends, spanking Donghyuck’s butt with the towel.

“Liar. It was every time! I remember on the supermarket, when I was reaching for the fruit loops on the lowest shelf, you farted!” Donghyuck vividly remembers the memory not long ago, Mark was tailing him with a push cart, hands on his stomach. Mark claps his hand, laughing at what seems to be the legendary fart story ever as Donghyuck barks, his face all twisted in anger. “Then it has just got to be that annoying loud disgusting fart. And worse because the ladies at my back thought it was me!” 

“And —and the old woman scolded you!” Mark wheezes, rolling on the floor stopping besides Donghyuck. Tears pooling on the corners of his eyes as he dies of laughter. 

Donghyuck watches him until he’s affected, laughter bubbling on his chest until his eyes land on a red purplish bruise on Mark's neck near his collar bones when calms down. Must be from _ that _ night, he thinks. A good minute or two passes, they both sit up to withhold the cold from the floor seeping through their skin.

"I didn't see you at lunch, where were you?" Donghyuck asks lazily with lips puckered, shoulders slumped. Mark softens and fixes his posture. "I was at the public library. The usual."  _ With who?  _ Donghyuck opens his lips, but no words come out. He thought it's better to keep silent as his question won't matter anyway. 

Mark only smiles and leaves immediately when Renjun calls him. He says it’s urgent so he lets him go and watches him as he sprints his way back to the applied science department. Donghyuck has a soft smile on his face and then it is gone the moment Jaehyun enters the gym still in his skinny jeans, some polo shirt, and a snap bag on his chest. Donghyuck, without even glancing to make sure it was their captain, threw the ball exactly at him with heavy pressure. Jaehyun catches it though, a playful smirk planted on his face to which Donghyuck wished he could rip off. 

"Look, I didn't hit on your boyfriend, I swear." 

"I wasn't gonna ask that but thanks for the assurance though." 

Jaehyun's smirk gets bigger and tilts his head as he observes Donghyuck, he doesn't even deny nor flinch from the word "boyfriend". 

Jeno catches him as he falls, exhausted as they finish the final round, losing to their opponent — some random seniors Yukhei has invited over for a friendly match. Donghyuck walks tiredly to the shower room, clinging to Jeno’s arms as he tells him an awful pun but laughs at it anyway. Donghyuck refreshens and changes his shirt, splashing his face with the cold water staring at himself at the mirror as he watches everyone leave one by one until Jaehyun’s the only one left. He fixes his hair and bids goodbye to Donghyuck, but he says something that made him tense, “I like that, by the way. Congratulations,” he points at his nape. 

He touches his own and looks at the mirror to see what Cap’n Jung is talking about. When he picks out nothing, he takes out his phone and takes a picture of his neck and right there is a glorious dark reddish purple bruise that is obviously gotten from sucking. It’s absolutely days old because it isn’t as bright as it should be but still dark. His heartbeat quickens as he stiffens, like a bucket of cold water washes over him as he stares at the ugly mark complementary to his skin he didn’t even know existed.

He suddenly remembers the way Mark has been rubbing hardly on his nape earlier, his disappointing eyes and his sour expression as he does that. There’s a hickey. A mark he never knew who put. Is that why Jaehyun’s smirking? After all, he’s aware of Donghyuck’s one sided love. Did he think Mark was the one who made that? Is that what the congratulations is for? He thinks of his past actions that may lead to this consequence and he ends up holding one plate in his hand, the one thing that will make sense. The morning after the championship party, when he unknowingly ended up in Yangyang and Yukhei’s dorm despite sleeping on the rooftop of the bar. He curses and infuriatingly grabs his duffel bag and walks out of the gym.

He goes home at exactly nine and like usual, he sees Mark on the balcony. He smiles beamingly at the sight and goes straight to him and asks what are the discoveries for this day. It’s like going home from a stressful day at work to the warmth and comfort of your sheets and the arms of your loved one. He sits down with him beside the love seat and Mark motions him the take-out from his favorite Chinese noodle house placed on the table. 

"I seriously can't live without you," Donghyuck says sweetly, oddly familiar. He watches the corner of Mark's lips rise while his eyes are on the telescope. "Then die." The Canadian says. He senses deja vu.

Mark goes straight to bed and leaves Donghyuck alone on the balcony when he wraps up the exploration of the day. He uses the telescope and adjusts the knobs to see the stars, he shifts to find all the flickering orbs surrounding him, leaning to expand the sky he’s discovering until his butt hits the metal table where Mark's journals and pens are scattered. 

He rubs the painful sensation and looks at the table. He curses at it until his eyes land on a  _ pink notebook  _ that definitely doesn’t belong to Mark, besides it, is a thick book of Space and Beyond from the library. 

He flips through the pages of the pink notebook and they were all space theories, living on Mars, possible alternative universe inside the black hole, until at the back where some scribbles of names of Jaemin are poorly written,  _ akinly familiar _ but definitely not Mark’s. So was he with Jaemin at the library? Studying about space? Definitely, possibly, and maybe beyond that. 

Sure he gets jealous of the idea of Mark making out with Jaehyun or Jaemin and in public, and or the fact it was during Neo's championship celebration — in which Donghyuck had heavily participated and contributed. But what ticks him off, what gets him really sad and broken is when a person takes over his position on Mark. Like Jaemin, he was studying about space with him, he's pretty sure Jaemin fucking hates Science, he's an Economics student as Renjun say one time — Yangyang smacks him and asks how Renjun knows anyone's business not just from SMU but literally from anywhere including the Hot Shots from a different university. The Chinese just shrug.

Donghyuck slumps at the couch and manages to find himself getting lost at the stars once again. And so he considers counting them. Ignoring all the ambivalent decisions he has been making since the morning. 

_ One _

_ Two _

He falls in love even more with the stars, nothing seems to shine brighter in his eyes but the light of hope. 

_ Three _

_ Four _

The wind blows, the strands of his hair flying in its places, the leaves sway, dancing beneath the star light. 

_ Five _

_ Six _

_ Seven _

And so he wishes. He keeps saying the same thing —his wish— repeatedly whilst his eyes are closed, breathing deeply. He goes back inside,  _ unaware  _ of the one particular star that blinked just now as he wished.  _ Unaware  _ of one particular journal — that has the maple leaf imprinted, the flag of Canada — on the table that didn't contain astronomy. The wind blew the small journal open, landing from page to page where a neat handwriting displays very well written and beautiful entries of sonnets and poems particularly about  _ someone _ .

**Day 4**

Donghyuck wakes up, groggy, his phone blasting his all time marimba alarm, snoozing for every five minutes. He turns it off and a notification pops from Renjun. 

From:  **baby shark <3 ** hey tell mark to bring me my pink notebook asap, bitch wont reply prolly busy burning your kitchen down 

Donghyuck ignores the message and turns off his phone. He opens his eyes and is greeted by the total darkness in the room, the muffled noise coming from the television outside his room and a pale light seeping through the hole beneath his door. 

"Who the fuck would set an alarm at Saturday? Fucking seriously?" His voice raspy as it echoes lightly in the room. As soon as he opens the door, the smell of some shit burning from the kitchen wafts in the whole dorm. And then he sees Mark on the stove. What a fucking great way to start his evening.

He is wearing an apron with bear prints on it, his raven hair disheveled, Donghyuck looks at it and fights the urge to run his hand through. Mark throws the raw egg into the plate and garnishes it with a bit of parsley to make it look fancy, and some ramen that he heated up in the microwave.

Donghyuck literally melts when he sees two bowls with equal amounts of effort laid to it and a glass of milk he prepared for Donghyuck. He goes to the table and tastes the egg and his face curls. He curses, it was the fucking saltiest egg he ever had in his life, he pictures Mark sprinkling it with the salt sprinkler but then the lid falls off and everything pours into the poor egg and so he screams and with that Mark turns around and shrieks too. 

"Fuck Donghyuck!" Hands on his chest, the spatula still in his hand and is even surprised that he tasted the egg already, "H-how did it go?" 

Donghyuck literally melts at this even more, the image of Mark, even though he can’t cook for shit, he can’t deny that what Mark’s doing is making him a total boyfriend and husband material. His heart warms up even if the saltiness burns his tongue, because Mark is putting so much effort on just a normal Saturday dinner. "It was good, edible enough, I guess." _ It was horrible.  _ He raises his thumbs, trying to put a smile on his wrinkled face. Mark scrunches his nose at that, a satisfied smile making its way on his lips somehow.

They both eat silently. Even if the egg tasted horrible, like literally the egg from hell, he would still eat if it means appreciating Mark's effort, hard work, literally blood, sweat and tears. He would moan in goodness and chew slowly to really fill in that flavor of the virgin coconut oil colliding with the rock salt. Donghyuck coughs, he can't do this anymore. He chokes, Mark unaware.

"Did I ever tell you that you cooked so good?" Donghyuck asks in the most loving way he can as he shuts his taste buds, if that's possible, just to finish the rock salted egg. Mark takes it as a compliment, his lips tugging up (ah the confidence is building up), all smiley lovey dovey towards Donghyuck. The smug look on Mark's face intensifies before he replies.

"No, you didn't." 

"So why are you cooking?" 

The smirk planted in Mark's face quickly fades along with the rising confidence and boastfulness. "You're a devil," Mark says, hurt, as he picks up Donghyuck's plate with the unfinished food.

Donghyuck laughs harder each and every time his reaction pops into his head again whilst begging Mark to give his plate back. Mark literally smacks him every minute as he laughs with all his might, unable to finish his dinner.

"You're literally the son of satan, Donghyuck. No, you're Satan himself." He mumbles, brows furrowed whilst he turns on the tv and heads straight to Netflix. "I'll never ever cook for you again.

"Well that's great news!" Donghyuck cheers. "But you know Mark, as much as I love you, you better stay away from my kitchen." He stands up to put the dirty dishes in the sink.

"Fine! I will never ever cook again or will care anything about what you put in that harsh and bad mouth of yours." 

Donghyuck gasps as he goes straight to the bathroom and turns to Mark. "There's no need to worry. All I put in my beautiful mouth of mine is no other than food." He assures Mark to which he rolls his eyes off with a red blush building tinting his cheeks and the tips of his ears hiding from plain sight due to the lack of light present on the other side of the room. Donghyuck closes the door to shower.

"Hey, you didn't finish your milk!" 

"Oh I thought you didn't care?" Donghyuck shouts from inside the bathroom, a bit muffled by the water running in the shower and the wooden door. Mark growls into the throw pillow he shields his face with. He comes out from the bathroom in his pyjamas. 

"Finish your milk Donghyuck," Mark commands, eyes focused on the TV. He wonders about the sudden change of his tone and mood. Donghyuck obliges though, aware of the sudden tension. He could feel it that he wished he could cut it with a knife.

Mark never took his eyes off of him, as he swallows every liquid in the glass, as he washes it, places it back to the cabinet, and as he heads to Mark on the sofa. He never breaks it until Donghyuck finally sits down at the other end of the couch and is greeted by a long frown.

Mark plays the first episode of Start Up and no noise resides within other than the voices from the tv. An hour passes, Donghyuck keeps talking about his opinions on the drama but still he doesn't respond. So keeps on babbling that he unconsciously mutes whatever Mark is mumbling about.

Mark slumps more on the soft cushion of the pillow, voice muffled. 

"What is it?" Donghyuck peeks over at him and slides besides him. Mark doesn't budge, his frown stretching even more. 

"What?" He asks again when he hears him mumble under his breath, very inaudible. 

“I said I was wondering if you would like a Mcdonald’s take out,” Mark repeats, much clearer. Donghyuck crunches his forehead, baffled, swallowing down the excitement — just by thinking of food after the unsatisfying dinner — to unravel Mark and the sudden shift of mood.

“Why?”

“Aren’t you still hungry? I heard your stomach?” Mark reasons out, trying his best. But Donghyuck, oh he could see right through him alright. So he squeezes more into him. “You heard my stomach?” He repeats just to catch Mark.

“Yes,” he hesitates. “I mean no—yes, I mean, no. I just thought you’re still hungry since the dinner wasn’t that really appetizing and I know you’re super hungry and—”

“And?” Almost there.

"You didn't like my egg..." he trails.  _ There it is _ . Donghyuck successfully juices it out. Mark’s face sinks back to the pillow, eyes still glued on the show being projected. He breathes sharply and tries to act distracted until he pops. “Just tell me if you didn’t like it so I won’t cook again. Sorry for the horrible dinner.” 

"You're sulking," Donghyuck concludes, astounded as he whispers, as if it is the most fascinating thing in the world, which maybe it is. 

"No I'm not!" Mark denies but Donghyuck can see right through his feign facade. He felt the pang of pain struck his heart as Mark’s voice was laced with hurt. He didn’t mean it to depreciate his cooking. But he appreciates the effort and when in fact he still ate the food he prepared.

“Hey, I didn’t mean it, the jokes. I appreciate it, truly. Sure it wasn’t the best, but I still ate it, didn't I? Because I didn’t want you to think I disliked what you did,” he assures as he snugs closer to Mark, taking away the pillow to look at his face. He places his arms on the both sides of his neck, pulling him down slightly for a hug, “Thank you, really. You know why I wasn’t satisfied with dinner?”

Mark hums, prompting him to continue.

“Because you didn’t make more.” 

“If I did then you would’ve vomited by now.” Mark retorts but lets Donghyuck embrace him anyway.

“True.” Donghyuck says and enough reason for Mark to shove him away unwarranted as he’s back with the teasing and at that moment Donghyuck wishes the moment would last forever. Everything is soft and warm, from the way the colors radiating from the television projects on Mark's face, allowing the splashes of colors to decorate his skin, the way Mark’s eyes are filled with thousands of tiny flickers, and the way he pours out his emotion just like that, blunt and definitely cute. 

Mark then falls asleep on DOnghyuck’s shoulder during the second episode, his lips slightly ajar, prominent cheekbones full on display, eyelashes fluttered prettily. Donghyuck stays at the balcony after putting a blanket over him. Admiring the stars that were earlier visible in Mark's orbs. The wind blows softly, allowing some leaves to dance until it lands on his face. The stars gleam and he takes it as a sign to continue counting them. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…”

The stars wink, the wind blows as if responding to Donghyuck as he makes a wish.

**Day 5**

"Has Yukhei been brainwashing you?" Renjun scoffs as they argue about who the best superhero is in MCU and apparently, Yangyang fights for Captain Marvel.

"Fuck no. Heck, I don't know about you but I think Donghyuck casted a spell over him or something. Because ever since the championship celebration at the bar, all I ever hear coming from his mouth is Donghyuck! Donghyuck this, Donghyuck that. God, we barely talked about Avengers! You know?" 

Renjun snorts, shaking his head unbelievably and snorts when he glances at the door, "Well speaking of the devil." 

Donghyuck enters the pizza parlor, face lit up in rosy hues, he’s  _ blooming _ . His lower lip is bitten by his teeth, trying to swallow the smile as he clutches the inside pockets of his leather jacket. 

“Well, well, well. You look less awful today, less devastating, kind of,” Renjun greets him, never failing to notice the change in his aura almost everyday. Donghyuck wonders about Renjun’s ability to read him so easily, like he’s a piece of cake. Is it because of the long terms of their friendship or he’s just that obvious? Either way, Renjun is just amazing at this especially when it comes to Donghyuck. Not that Yangyang is clueless or that he just joined the club a little bit late. He just knows that something is up, like he’s the all seeing god, knows anyone's business and things that they hide under their sleeves. 

“By less awful you mean beautiful, ethereal, blooming, and alive.” Donghyuck corrects and Yangyang’s face wrinkles, tossing him the menu booklet.

Renjun’s face twists in disgust and Yangyang chuckles and pats his back, “We need to talk about Yukhei.” They didn’t talk about anything related or close to Yukhei. They just talk about their day, and Donghyuck closes every chance when the conversation travels near to last night’s event. He blushes just by thinking of Mark sulking over his sunny side up egg. 

Well, he did try closing it but not anymore as the main highlight of Donghyuck’s magical night appears at the entrance of the pizza parlor. The bell chimes as he goes inside, his neon green hoodie attracting every customer as it glows when the light hits it and bounces to every tile in the room. His overly used Vans make that irritating squeaky noise. He’s in his usual pair of black skinny jeans with holes on the knees. 

Donghyuck tenses as he notices something unusual. Definitely  _ not  _ his hoodie being pulled up into his head with his round thin glasses hanging low on the bridge of his nose, but the way his hair doesn’t peak out on the neon fabric. 

“I don’t remember inviting you,” Renjun claims, eyes squinting at the small change in Mark’s appearance. He groans in response and sits on the stool with a loud thud, dropping his backpack on the table. “Good evening to you too Renjun.”

Donghyuck confirms this change in appearance when Mark steadies his head, staring blankly at the decorated wall beside their table where a nineties intergalactic wars poster is hanging. He harshly pulls down his hoodie — due to frustration that Donghyuck can’t pinpoint what — revealing fresh chopped chunks of jet black hair. 

“What the — why does the undercut look so good on you?” Yangyang whines as he touches his own locks. Renjun snorts.

“You’re a traitor Mark Lee, I thought we were supposed to grow our hair out?” Donghyuck pretends to choke on sobs, feigning betrayal — _ only feigning because Mark looks so fucking hot in undercut _ — as he touches his own blonde locks that he hasn’t cut for months, parted sideways to reveal his forehead. Mark throws him a lazy glance, eyeing at his hair then his face for a good five seconds with pouty lips, “You see, not everyone can pull off long hair.” 

Donghyuck feels butterflies in his stomach as he hears the very bold response, well it’s not everyday you hear Mark lee complimenting Donghyuck, and it happened to be in front of his friends, literally in public, very rare as a hen’s teeth —Donghyuck might not consider it rare anymore as it happens three times in a row already— he unconsciously touches the ends of his hair draping on his nape whilst swallowing a very obvious smile making its way into his lips. The two of his devil friends give him faces of distaste. 

With Mark joining their little gang, all they talk about are the possibilities of an unknown universe at the other side of the black hole. Renjun and Mark’s favorite topic. Yangyang slides into the conversation easily, quite invested despite majoring in law and loathes how Renjun and Mark have the same goal of flying out to space and plans to meet on the Moon or Mars one day, to have a coffee and talk.

“Donghyuck says he will beat the crap out of me and throw me into space,” Mark makes a fuss as he comes back from the counter with a tray of what seems to be his and Donghyuck’s order. 

“By beating the crap out of you, is he perhaps unsugar-coating the fact that he will kiss you endlessly instead and would definitely  _ not  _ throw you into space?” Yangyang questions and misses the tissue Donghyuck throws at him.

“Wait, is this extraterrestrial by Katy Perry reference?” Mark gasps and Yangyang nods, so they dap and cackle like ten year old boys. Donghyuck hates the subtle teases Yangyang is giving him.

“It’s Among Us reference,” Donghyuck scoffs, getting even more flustered, “Are y’all sleep deprived or something?” 

“All of you are morons and gross, and Mark, where the fuck is our food?” Renjun asks with brows furiously glued together, probably due to hunger, looking down at Mark while he babies Donghyuck by squeezing the hot sauce on his pizza. 

“Uhm, it’s at the counter, I think?” Mark tries to sound obvious but in a gentler and genuine way, but it comes out as bad as what he refuses to convey when Renjun gives him the  _ almost combusting _ look. “First of all, you came here uninvited and now you won’t even bring us our food? After all the entertainment we’ve provided you for the past fifteen minutes and this is how you reciprocate our good deeds? With this unfair treatment bs? How disappointing of you, really.”

“Damn dude, sit down. Prof. Moon bit your head off at Biochem or something?” Mark queries as he peers over the Chinese. 

“Definitely or something,” Donghyuck inspects while eyeing every move Renjun makes, trying to read him back, taking a bite at the pizza and suddenly bursts, blowing big puffs of air and scolds Mark, “I told you to squeeze in the ketchup not the hot sauce!”

“But I don’t like ketchup! You know that.” He reasons, handing Donghyuck his cup of iced tea, fanning him with his hands like it’s able to do anything, his other hand placed on Donghyuck’s right thigh to provide comfort of some sort.

“It’s not like you’re the one who’s eating it!” He hits him and they bicker for the next couple of minutes like they always do ever since they were kids.

Renjun just sighs and bites the inside of his cheeks, “I’m always so sure of my calculations and they turn out to be the complete opposite.” Mark rubs his back, “I’ll tutor you. Will that at least recompense you for the endless ranting I throw you?” Donghyuck wonders of the  _ endless rants _ Mark talks about with Renjun.  _ What would Mark be ranting about? What would he be stressed about that only can Renjun be allowed to hear? There are two. It might be stuff related to their subjects since they both major in BS Physical Science or it could be Jaemin. _

Yangyang brings them their food some time later and they all eat with his whiny ass complaining every time his fork twirls the pasta and now he’s focusing on his meat. “This chicken is kinda slimy.” He scrunches his nose.

“Perhaps you should be the one cooking over there then. All you do is complain. You should thank the Lord for providing you such a meal.”

“Renjun for the love of God, please stop guilt tripping me. I'm literally aware of the uncooked dry chicken to which I paid with my own money from working my ass off.”

Donghyuck is right, although this type of Renjun is not unusual therefore, something is ticking him off and Donghyuck is interested, so he mentally takes a note in his brain to try and squeeze something out of him later.

Mark slaps Donghyuck’s thigh when the latter steals a mojo from his plate basket, cursing him for robbing almost half of it. The next time Donghyuck decides to steal another mojo, his chicken untouched, Mark switches their plates and starts cutting his chicken in pieces.

Donghyuck doesn’t ask for it, it’s just a natural habit of Mark to which he doesn’t see him do that others, he therefore concludes that he’s special. 

“By the way Mark, don’t you have Cosmology like until seven?” Donghyuck asks Mark as soon as they finish eating. He tenses but proceeds to stand up and act normal, he hums out a response, barely inaudible. Renjun bats him an eye, his lips twitching.

They wait for Yangyang outside, standing at the corner of the block. Mark’s fingers keep twitching as he stands on the wet pavement, seemingly wanting to talk to Donghyuck about something. Donghyuck doesn’t fail to notice and is about to reach out for him when suddenly, an ivory jeep pulls in front, startling them. Donghyuck’s hand is left in mid-air as the windows roll down, revealing dark pink locks, Mark shockingly turns around to see. The windows are pulled down, Jaemin’s eyes dark and hooded seemingly staring through Donghyuck but he can’t quite figure out why. It doesn’t last long as Mark catches his attention again. 

“Uh, I’ll see you later, Donghyuck.” Mark says instead and sighs heavily, hesitating to move for a second but manages to move his muscles and then jumps inside the front seat, refusing to look at him in the eye. Jaemin waves, but certainly not to Donghyuck. He sees Renjun return the small wave, his eyes brightening up with the tiniest hint of gleam that Donghyuck doesn’t miss.  _ What was that about? _

Yangyang comes out seconds later, hyperactive as he retells the story of his wonderful experience inside the intergalactic bathroom where he meets a guy he fusses to be the long lost love of his life. Donghyuck ignores the searing eyes of Renjun, they let Yangyang talk and talk while the two walk silently behind him. Renjun rubs comforting circles on his back. 

“Are you guys even listening to me?” He stops mid-track and turns around with arms crossed. “You were in the middle of shitting and this guy knocks on your cubicle,” Renjun repeats, making Yangyang face back ahead and continue his story happily. Donghyuck chuckles at him, shaking his head.

Donghyuck figures it out as soon as Jaemin drives off with Mark. The conclusion he has on his head, the most accurate one, leaves him bitter and in pain. Mark probably skipped Cosmology, got a haircut to go out with Jaemin, but maybe he didn’t pick him up, that’ll explain his frustration when he gets to the pizza parlor beet red and unexpected. Renjun’s stare doesn’t help him at all, he definitely knows something since he knows Jaemin. Well that’s nothing new. Donghyuck doesn’t ask him.

Donghyuck can’t help but to wonder what changed. Mark isn’t opening anything about Jaemin, Donghyuck doesn’t ask though. His mind goes back to the night he sees the both of them, at the championship party. The night Mark and Jaemin met, the night Mark finally sees the stars in someone’s eyes, the night Donghyuck watches his star hung into someone else’s sky, the night Donghyuck first wishes on the stars. 

Now that Donghyuck thinks about it, it’s still a mystery how that night went after he closed his eyes. Mark isn’t saying anything about it, Donghyuck doesn’t ask either, afraid of what his answers are gonna be. 

Donghyuck splits with Yangyang and Renjun soon and the latter gives him a comforting smile before disappearing. He walks down the alley back to their dorms, head hanging as he faces the pitch black sky, flickered with sparkling dust. Donghyuck takes in a deep sharp breath, Mark is slowly slipping off from his hands and he blames it all for his cowardice. With a heavy heart, Donghyuck holds onto his wish tightly as he counts for seven stars and the stars never fail to respond to his wish, gleaming and winking at him, sending the wind as comfort for his breaking heart. 

**Day 6**

Donghyuck lays in his stomach as he endlessly switches the channel on the television, his chin prompted on a pillow, foot dangling where his ankle is bandaged. 

He purposely furrows his eyebrows, forces a frown and maintains a blank expression while his insides are screaming, butterflies flapping inside his stomach as he peeks at Mark cooking for him. Well, not technically cooking, but reheating a soup he bought somewhere in the middle of the weeping clouds. 

Mark quickly sets the fire in low heat, rushes inside his room and soon gets out in his sleepwear, his iconic gray hoodie and some basketball shorts. Donghyuck loves it so much when he wears this gray hoodie which reminds him that he’ll somewhat steal it or make Mark give it to him. He sets the bowl of soup on their coffee table in the middle of the tv and couch, and brings out the bucket of chicken wings and some side dishes. Donghyuck follows his every move, as he grabs a pillow and places it on the floor and sits there near where Donghyuck’s head is patched on the couch.

“I’m just gonna pretend you didn’t purposely sprained your ankle.” Mark mumbles, picking up the chopsticks then stirs the noodles, blowing away the cloud of smoke rising. Donghyuck sits with his left leg sprawled where the bandaged ankle rests. 

“I did not! Your boyfriend pushed me a — ” He whines for the nth time but this time Mark shoves the noodle on his mouth, still hot, his face twisted in a disapproving look like he didn’t like what DOnghyuck had just said. Donghyuck squirms opening his lips, struggling for air, his ankle hitting the glass table in the process and he yelps. Mark’s laugh echoes in the room, watching Donghyuck struggle, a bit cruel.

“Mark, it’s not funny!” He groans in frustration, dryly while coughing and proceeds to stand up while Mark swallows his laughters and stands up as well to support Donghyuck. 

Donghyuck’s face is wrinkled as he forces to stand up, grabbing support at the wall, bouncing until he reaches the door. He doesn’t even find one thing about what Mark did funny. He’s seriously hurt, mentally, emotionally, and not just physically — his ankle.

To back track, the Neos had a spare time earlier at four in the afternoon and invited some of the Hot Shots and they ended up playing four versus four. Donghyuck isn’t in the mood, so he groggily accepts the invite as Jeno forced him too. Unsurprisingly, Jaemin is there. He doesn’t know if he pushed him on purpose while he shoots and ends up on the floor with a sprained ankle or he was just clumsy and jealous and angry. Of course Mark doesn’t miss the game, he comes late but is still there to witness the foul play and it stings and hurts as he sees Mark come to Jaemin first before helping out Donghyuck. Long story short, Donghyuck has a broken ankle and a broken heart.

Donghyuck exhales sharply and walks to the door, deciding to crash at Yangyang’s dorm, two floors above them. He’s about to twist the knob when he feels a warm pair of arms snaking on his waist. 

“I’m sorry.” 

_ Just tell me that you hate it when I call Jaemin as your boyfriend. That you don’t like him like that. That everything is a misunderstanding or anything, just please, open up to me, Mark. Tell me things. What are you and Jaemin?  _ Donghyuck thinks, opens his mouth to voice it out, but fails to do it. 

Donghyuck hums instead and stays like that for seconds before Mark guides him back to the couch and this time offers to feed him properly. Donghyuck’s heart melts at the picture of Mark raising the metal chopstick near his mouth, erasing the pain he felt earlier.

“Mark, I sprained my ankle not my wrist.”

“Yeah I — right, sorry. Here you go.”

Mark then hands him the bowl, his hands a bit shaky, the tips of his ears red. Donghyuck eats with satisfaction, the smile creeping unknowingly on his lips, humming in every swallow, enjoying the blant food ten times more. Mark catches the sight of it as he picks up the empty take out boxes.

Mark prepares a warm bath and helps Donghyuck inside the bathroom. He grabs his waist as he helps him sit down on the stool in the middle of the shower, making sure they both don’t slip. Mark then kneels in front of him and slowly unwraps the bandage, revealing swollen ankles. 

Donghyuck’s breathing is ragged as he feels Mark in contact with any part of his skin. From his ankle, slowly sliding down to his lower leg, a bit of warmth as Mark inserts his hands on the insides of his shirt to take it off for him, kind of insignificant since Donghyuck can do it properly to himself but he doesn’t stop Mark. Loving the warmth of his hands to his flushed skin.

“Are you alright?” Mark asks softly, kneeling down again, prompting Donghyuck’s ankle unto the lid of the closed bowl carefully. Donghyuck nods, covering his torso with his arms, the redness climbing from his chest up to his cheeks and ears. 

The last time Mark had done this for him was two years ago, when he broke his shin. Donghyuck can pinpoint the fact that nothing had changed, from the way Mark has been treating him before and now, feeding, taking a bath, changing his bandage, taking his time with Donghyuck with full patience even if it clashes with his supposed schedule of reading his articles and doing research and plates.

Donghyuck wants to say that he can take care of himself from this point, wants to say again for the nth time that he had damaged his ankle not his arms but he didn’t want Mark to stop, to go away, maybe he won’t tell it anymore. Maybe he really liked this. Someday  _ if  _ ever Mark is in his arms, he will straight go up to JYPU and thank Jaemin himself for his foul play, maybe even buy him a boba for the legendary sprain as he’s having the time of his life being taken care of by Mark.

“Now I’m pretty convinced you literally did this on purpose,”  he claims then chuckles as he grabs the shower head, warm water boozing out, letting it run on the soft sunkissed skin of Donghyuck’s shoulders and chest.

“Did what on purpose?” Donghyuck asks, fully awakened from his thoughts, head lowering to hide the redness amplifying in his skin. 

“Your injury.” 

Donghyuck laughs, handing the sponge to Mark while he pours the body soap, starting from the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He tenses, drowning the giggle on his mouth as he concentrates on the feeling of Mark’s warm palms circling on the base of his neck to his chest then to his back and nape to spread evenly the soap.

“Well, if It means getting privileges like this then I’d probably allow myself to sprain my ankle at least once a month.” He whispers, breathless. 

“God, you’re crazy. Literally nuts.” 

Donghyuck laughs again, this time fully facing Mark, looking at him in the eye while Mark lets his eyes roam over the glowing skin slowly disappearing beneath the bubbles and the lavender scent. Donghyuck hands him the loofah and the first thing Mark did is to scrub on his nape, it intensifies a second later when he pours water over it then he scrubs again. Donghyuck whimpers a bit, “Mark, it hurts.” 

Mark stops immediately, soothing it with a warm soapy massage to help ease the pain. “I’m sorry, there’s just an ugly dirt on your nape, I wanted to get rid of it,” he says with a soft tone yet the anger lingers as his jaw is still clenched and his hands are a bit heavy on his shoulders. Donghyuck’s heart quickens even more. It’s like his feet are washed with ice cold water, sending electricity that jolts on his spine to his nape.  _ He’s obviously mad.  _ Donghyuck instead gets his hands and guides him to his front with a pouty smile, prompting him to continue.

Mark has a small smile on his face, kneeling down to scrub Donghyuck’s leg where the injury is. His eyes are roaming everywhere, Donghyuck notices. From his hair, to his eyes, nose, a bit longer on his lips, god much longer on his collar bones then to his chest which he quickly scans, to his stomach then to his pelvis, certainly not on his dick by the way. 

“Who the fuck gave you that?” Mark chuckles, hilariously eyeing the boxers Donghyuck is wearing, a sky blue one with mickey mouse patterns on it. Donghyuck could’ve possibly been beet red, hitting Mark in his head, wetting his hair in the process, with bubbles.

“What? Jeno gifted it to me. It’s pretty.” 

Mark cackles, shaking his head, scooting closer in the middle of Donghyuck’s parted thighs and squats, sitting on his own foot. His head is leveled with Donghyuck’s stomach. He then starts scrubbing his right thigh then to his leg. Donghyuck looks away, avoids looking down on Mark with the weird position they’re in. He gulps and soon groans loudly when Mark clumsily hits his injured ankle with his elbows.

Donghyuck tries reaching for his swelling ankle, banging his head with Mark in the process and he too groans in the sudden pain that caused him to lose his balance, so he grabs onto Donghyuck’s waist to be able to hold himself up but ends up dragging Donghyuck with him as his back lands to the wet tiles of the bathroom. 

Donghyuck shrieks as he falls on top of Mark then groans more in pain as his injured ankle lands fast and heavily on the tile. The corners of his eyes sting, closing them painfully. 

“Shit, Donghyuck. What the fuck, I’m so sorry, shit, shit.”

Mark tries to lift them both but Donghyuck doesn’t move, his head still on Mark’s chest as he whimpers in pain. Mark panics. Suddenly the door flies open, banging loud on the wall. 

“What the fuck is going on in here — oh.” 

Mark looks up from where the door is widely opened, where four people stand, jaws dropping. Renjun is carrying a huge paper bag of Mcdonald’s, an amused face. Jeno has his eyes wide and big, Yangyang can’t stop laughing as he tries to push everyone out while mouthing “let’s not disturb them” then covers Yukhei’s eyes with his palms.

“Yeah, we’ll come back later, have fun!” Yangyang says as he closes the door, they didn’t leave though as Mark can still hear them in the living room, mimicking the moans and groans Donghyuck was producing or whatever noises they thought they were making when they saw them in the most awkward position.

Mark looks up to Donghyuck, still in pain. He tries maneuvering them to a sitting position and Donghyuck hisses, still in pain while holding his swelling ankle. Mark manages to make him sit and turn so that his back is leaning on Mark’s torso. He then straightens Donghyuck’s legs. 

“Breathe Donghyuck, breathe.”

“You asshole, it fucking hurts! It’s like my whole world twisted and like thousands of needles poke my fucking bone.” 

“I know, I’m sorry, I'm sorry,” he repeats, guiltily, immediately encircling his arms on Donghyuck’s torso, hoping it will ease the pain, hugging him from the back. Donghyuck inhales sharply as the wet heavy clothed arms and torso of Mark press on his bare naked back and chest.

“You idiot, you’re getting yourself wet,” Donghyuck scolds him, seemingly calm, but finds himself snuggling to Mark’s embrace. He hugs Donghyuck tightly, still mouthing apologies while rubbing circles on his arm with his thumb and sneaks his head on the crook of Donghyuck’s neck, hiding himself due to embarrassment and guiltiness. Donghyuck only hums and lets the silence consume the both of them. “Come on, help me up, you’re gonna catch a cold if you don’t change.” He convinces Mark and yet the door bangs loudly on the wall.

“Step away from the wounded!” Yukhei commands with his loud ass voice, standing so tall on the door frame, holding what seems to be a loofa. They didn’t even notice the bathroom door flying open because they were too lost in each other’s presence. Mark’s grip tightens on him as Yukhei steps closer to them, he groans, not wanting to let go of Donghyuck for some weird reason. Then Renjun comes in, which is a good thing because Mark had loosen his grip on Donghyuck, seemingly calm. Both of their heads peep as the rest of their friends come inside the bathroom. Yangyang comes in next, holding a towel, fixes the stool as Yukhei carries the whining Donghyuck effortlessly and sits him down on the chair. Renjun then steps to them, grabbing Mark by his arms then kicks him out on his butt. 

“Hey!” He screams in protest as Yangyang closes the door loudly behind him, leaving him and Jeno in the kitchenette. He sighs, looking down on his shirt and shorts, all wet and soapy. He walks towards the sink to wash off the bubbles from his arms and hands that were earlier in the warmth of Donghyuck’s skin.

“Aw, don’t be sad Markie pooh, you'd be able to do that at least everyday.” Jeno coos as he notices the frown on his lips, then gets back to texting. He snorts and whisks his hands on Jeno’s face earning a complaint. He goes to his room to change, goes back to the living room and sits on the couch, letting himself be distracted by the annoying voices of his friends coming from the bathroom. His forehead creases in curiosity as he hears different languages, sharp curses, and Donghyuck’s loud laughter that turns into a groan then to a series of curses then to laughter again.

“Hey isn’t this the boxer Jeno had given you?”

“Yeah, are you wearing the butterfly print he gave you?” 

“Hell yeah!”

“Huh, y’all received animal printed boxers? I got a glittered one man! Kinda itchy though.”

“Y’all received gifts from Jeno? What the actual fuck, this is some hoarse betrayal shit. Lee Jeno!” 

“Hey, I’m cold already, get me out of here,” Donghyuck tells them. Renjun finishes rinsing him and Yangyang happily dries him with the towel then Yukhei carries him again to transfer him to his room to get change. He squints his eyes at them, wondering by the sudden change of heart by actually being kind and taking care of him, “Why do I feel like y’all want something in return?” 

“Look at this idiot, can’t even appreciate our warmhearted aid,” Renjun snickers, pinching Donghyuck’s button nose. “We aren’t that heartless, besides we can’t let Mark enjoy too much of taking care of you, right?” Yangyang makes it louder so that it reaches outside and successfully Mark snorts from the couch. “Right.” Yukhei agrees, with the towel wrapped against Donghyuck, Yukhei carries him in bridal style. Donghyuck encircles his arm on his neck for support.

Donghyuck dramatically coos at his friends and teases them of how sweet and concerned they are for him. “Well, you looked like the saddest potato earlier. I actually do not know if what hurts you is your heart or your broken ankle or both,” Renjun whispers while they walk so that Mark doesn’t hear. 

As soon as Yangyang opens the bathroom door, Mark immediately stands up, seemingly wanting to take care of the rest for Donghyuck, but of course Renjun disapproves. “Oh shut up Mark, go watch your TBBT eps there, we’ll handle this.” 

Mark grunts, sitting defeatedly on the couch with Yangyang with a loud huff. Yukhei releases a small chuckle, the corner of his lips rising and Donghyuck doesn’t miss the glare Mark gives his friend, a long frown stretching on his face, his jaw clenching. 

Renjun closes the door as they let Donghyuck sit on his bed and takes out a fresh pair of pyjamas and his favorite hoodie. They turn around to let him change and then guide him back outside for what seems like ten minutes later. 

Mark worryingly glances at Donghyuck and moves to him when Renjun finally gets away from him to get food in their kitchenette. Yukhei has already offered his arms for support but Mark unstoppably walks up to them and guides Donghyuck on his other arm. 

“You okay?” is what he asks first and he just hums then hops bit by bit until he reaches the couch. Mark quickly moves and makes sure to let him sit at the end of the sofa and he quickly occupies the only available seat next to him. Mark lets out a triumphant smile as Yukhei huffs and goes to Renjun, irritated. 

“Do you sense something Jeno?” Yangyang, seated from the other end of the couch, asks and Donghyuck wonders what the teasing look is for. Jeno shakes his head, smiling on his phone, “Yeah, I sense your humor all the way from here and my hungry stomach, which reminds me... Renjun, did you buy me the seven piece nuggets?” 

“Huh? You told me to buy the twenty piece one. I got three boxes of it.” They cheer and Renjun proudly smirks. “Y’all only want me for this huh.” Donghyuck loudly approves, the Chinese glares jokingly at him, “I hope you step on a lego.” 

“That’s a lot.” Yukhei then brings one box and a bowl of dip next to Donghyuck. He brings a stool to sit besides him. Donghyuck hears Mark curse silently so he watches him stand up and get back with a glass of water and medicine on his hand. 

Donghyuck tries to be comfortable, tries to enjoy the Queen’s Gambit but fails to be as he feels the pain on his ankle resting on a pillow. He shifts on his sitting inhaling deeply and Mark doesn’t fail to notice. He gets up again and brings an ice pack, sits on the floor besides Donghyuck’s leg, and lays the cold compress on his ankle to avoid swelling. 

Donghyuck sighs in contentment and reaches for Mark’s head to play with the soft strands of his hair. His friends go home later that night, Renjun scolding him once more for being so careless while Yangyang and Jeno pat him comfortably. Yukhei holds his hand, pressing them softly while he bids goodbye. Mark doesn’t even walk them to the elevator and shuts the door quickly. 

“Thank God,” he murmurs intendedly for Donghyuck to hear. “What?” he asks as he flops down the coach and lays his head on Donghyuck’s shoulder.

“Why are you glaring at Yukhei?”

“No I’m not,” he defends and grabs one of Donghyuck’s hands and starts rubbing circles on them. He tenses at the habit. “You’ve been rude to him the whole time Mark.”

“I wasn’t,” he whispers, eyes fluttering close, “I just kinda don’t vibe with him.” 

“But you didn’t need to be rude,” Donghyuck repeats. He suddenly remembers when Mark mentioned him being jealous of Yukhei, so he tries his luck out, seemingly bold. “Are you jealous of him?” 

Mark chokes, eyes opening at a sudden. It takes him seconds before he answers, “What? No.” 

“You hesitated.”

“Whatever, I’m taking you to bed,” Mark says, standing up, forcing the subject close. Donghyuck pouts, ‘I don’t want to yet.” Mark takes him to his bedroom and sits down as soon as he’s all covered in the warm sheets of his blanket.

“Can I ask you something?” He asks softly. Mark chuckles, “you’re already asking dummy.”

“Right. So…” Donghyuck trails, forming his next sentence. “So?” Mark repeats.

“Would you accompany me tomorrow?” Mark’s lips are ajar, no reply coming out of his mouth, Donghyuck panics. “I mean, we’d just go to the party, then I’ll grab my award or two then I could ditch the rest of the ceremony and the afterparty too and then we’ll go back here and watch TBBT instead. I’ll treat you your favorite —”

“Donghyuck,” Mark stops him, “breathe. You have an injury, how could you possibly attend the party—”

“That’s why I’m asking for your company, if you wanted to. I don’t want to be absent, imagine  _ the MVP _ not attending? That would be a menace.” He tries to lighten the conversation and to actually convince Mark.

“I—I can’t Donghyuck.” Mark rejects him, easily. He stands up and Donghyuck’s heart falls. His throat burning, the pits of his stomach churning. It stings. “I’m sorry.”

_ Why?  _ He wants to ask just to confirm if his assumptions are right. 

“No, it’s fine. Duh.” Donghyuck manages to say and laughs it off but it comes out so fake anyway, he doesn’t meet Mark’s eyes as he bids him goodnight and ruffles his hair, “Call me when you need me okay? I’ll leave my door open.”

The sheets are nowhere near warm as he tugs them closer to his chest, nodding his head. He fights the urge to call Mark and hug him to sleep. His feet cold, from both the cold compress and the pang of pain. 

Donghyuck carefully turns to his other side, where his huge window displays the beautiful starry night. The pitch black sky full of gleaming stars. Donghyuck has high hopes of the superstition, making a fool of himself for actually trusting the stars to grant his wish. Today is Donghyuck’s sixth day,  _ almost there. _

He raises his hand and smiles when he forms a Canis Major with the stars, the greater dog. He counts them. 

_ One, two, three, four, five, six... seven.  _

There’s no backing out, Donghyuck thinks as he wishes harder, desperate. That night, he once again sleeps with a stinging heart and a swelling ankle. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Day 7**

Donghyuck wakes up to a heavy pain in the head and Renjun’s annoying ass that adds up to his stress. He tries to massage his scalp to his temples. “Shut up Renjun, stop overreacting. I’m fine, really.”

“What part of _I’m fine_ is this?” He points at Donghyuck’s face. Ears, nose, cheeks flushed. There are dark bags under his eyes and his lips are pale. “I know you look like shit, like every morning. But this day—is your day. But you’re so dull and blatant. You’re supposed to swim in your godly three hour bath right about now.” 

“You literally just said I look like the walking dead and now I have a broken ankle. You think I’m enjoying every bit? Heck I can’t even walk for shit, or even party later, damn.”

“I think you should be the one to stop overreacting. You broke an ankle Donghyuck, it’s not like your whole world is over or something.” Donghyuck groans and flops back to the bed, tugging the comforter over his head and places the pillow on top of his face just to block out his friend. Renjun catches the pillow anyways and uses it to hit Donghyuck on his face.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to hurt the wounded!”

“You wounded your fucking foot, not your face.”

“It’s not just my ankle,” he finally says in a whisper. Renjun arches his brow prompting him to continue even if he knows what will come next and so Donghyuck speaks again in hushed wounded tones, “I won’t say it, you already pity me enough.”

“God, you’re so stubborn. Smart but so stupid that it actually pains me,” Renjun exaggerates, sitting besides Donghyuck. “The pain won’t stop not unless you fuck your way out of your cocoon and leave the cowardice inside and go straight to Mark and talk to him about your feelings. That easy.”

Donghyuck sits up, exhaling heavily coming deep within his chest. “I wish it was that easy.” He checks his phone, a notification greeting him as he pops his screen open. It’s from Mark, a message from three hours ago. An update that he was going out for awhile and that they’ll see each other later for the party.

Renjun helps him up to the bathroom, to shower, and change. 

“Renjun, is Jaemin more handsome than me?” He asks after spacing out while leaning on one of the clothing racks as Renjun picks an outfit for tonight. He sips on his Jamba juice, staring deeply into his eyes as he waits for an answer.

Renjun looks at him, holding a sparkling red button up, “What kind of question is that?” Donghyuck whines, the straw still on his lips, no liquid pouring into his mouth. 

“He’s not more handsome than you Donghyuck,” Renjun honestly replies, puckers his lips while he tries out the shirt and Donghyuck widens his eyes, feeling the light of hope. “Because he’s the most handsome. The Jaemin Na? God, you can’t compare that man to anyone at all.” 

“Wow that boosted my self-esteem, gee thanks.” He says, the light of hope drowns within a second of traveling towards Donghyuck’s heart.

The Chinese chuckles, observing every detail of the shirt, on the way it fits him. “But Donghyuck, you …  you’re cute, you’re sunny, you’re basically good at everything. Sports, music, cooking, academics, games, dancing, you’re overall personality. God, you’re so talented. And very much boyfriend material — with all the smart life hacks you have beneath your sleeve, with the way you cook simply but feels like home and filled with love, with the warmth you spread and you radiate just by wearing hoodies and naturally being clingy. Donghyuck, do you know how attractive you look? How good and mesmerizing you look just by walking beneath the sun? Everyone would melt around you and their hearts will be all warm. It’s like you’re the sun and they are the sunflower that would turn to you everytime you're around because they adore you, you give them joy.” Renjun says with a continuous flow like it’s a memorized phrase —a phrase  he’d probably heard a gazillionth times that he actually got a hang of it and had it imprinted on his brain. Donghyuck beams at him amusingly, speechless at first until he finally finds the words and picks up his tongue. His lips letting go of the paper straw.

“I didn’t know that mouth of yours is capable of saying something nice for once. Some character improvement there Huang, I see, I see.” 

“Oh, don’t be so full of yourself, Lee. You didn’t hear that from me,” Renjun mumbles, shaking his head. Donghyuck shifts his weight to his elbows leant on the full size mirror, inspecting his friend, “Tell me, from who then?” 

“Let’s say a couple of people.” Renjun replies after thinking for a whole thirty seconds, humming as he counts in his mind.  _ That many? _

“And by a _ couple of people _ you meant two and more right?” 

Renjun gasps, covering his mouth like he had just said something akin to a secret. His face twists by the sudden smug and energy rising from his friend. “I’m glad that this conversation is actually giving you life and making you look less of a zombie, but can we please end this right now before I unconsciously start spilling out things I shouldn’t be telling you?” 

Donghyuck gives off a shriveling look, hating the way he gets more curious of Renjun's acting, with all that he said. Like he’d just spilled a grand secret to which Donghyuck can’t even figure out what as he replays their conversation on and backtracks. 

He didn’t care if curiosity killed the cat because for once, he was certain that his curiosity will definitely bring him no harm. In fact, his curiosity of finding out who these people are will absolutely positively do him good. 

Donghyuck wants to know who these _ “a couple of people”  _ Renjun is talking about because it seems that these  _ couple of people  _ are not just admiring Donghyuck but maybe infatuated and in love. Not to be the assuming type but from the way Renjun had said about him being  _ sunny,  _ it’s like these people —at least one of them— had been with Donghyuck long enough to conclude that he is that one person who brightens up their day, showers them with happiness and positive vibes and lifts the mood up a lot —to which he only does at people he knows, so these  _ couple of people  _ are definitely someone close to Donghyuck.

He’d die if one of them turns out to be Mark because the probability is high.  He remembers the time when Mark had called him “ _ sunny”  _ because according to him Donghyuck had never fail to brighten up his day, to warm his day even with the simplest things like: going home from a five hour Cosmology class to a nice warm bowl of kimchi fried rice Donghyuck had made that feels and taste like home and love or like Donghyuck giving him the most comfortable, suiting, warm back massages after a long night of procrastinating research papers and plates.

He also remembered how Mark had given him a nickname back in time when they were fourteen. “Haechan”, which means “full sun”, the perfect and accurate name for a bright person like him. Donghyuck could never ever forget the way Mark had called himself a sunflower when they were staring at the stars one night—during Donghyuck’s first year at college after a big fight, probably a misunderstanding—because apparently, at the end of the day, within the day and the morning, Mark will always go and turn to the sun, to his sun, the full sun, Haechan. Donghyuck. 

After deliberating, he smiles a little with a hint of dissatisfaction for not being able to feed his curiosity. “All right,” he finalizes. “You look good in that shirt by the way.” Pertaining to the sparkling button up Renjun is trying on. 

“Oh spare me Lee. You didn’t need to flatter me out because of all the shits I’ve said earlier. ‘Cause like I said. You didn’t hear it from me, it didn’t come from me, I was just relaying out a few things people might’ve said to me,” the Chinese points out, “I might’ve spilled a secret but it did benefited you as it boosted your self-esteem therefore I don’t see anything wrong in doing it so.” He clears just to soothe out the hint of guilt climbing from the pits of his stomach, obviously as his fingers fidget around the buttons a tad bit nervous. 

“Why are you saying it like you did not like the way that it came from your mouth?” Donghyuck questions — pertaining to the long phrase of praise for him that Renjun had said earlier — holding on into his dear chest, supporting his heart. “Are you really that stone of a hearted, Huang?”

“You know me Lee. I’m no cheesy but I would be honest to you right now and tell you that all of  _ those  _ really didn’t come from me. And I would also like to clear that I am no stone-hearted, I’m just not that type to say cheesiness to comfort your stupid deserving ass,” Renjun dictates, laughing small, feeling delighted.

“But yeah, thank you. Now let’s go pay for this shall we?” He holds two outfits for the both of them and aids him to the counter. 

“Sure,” Donghyuck agrees, linking arms with his friend for support as he walks, limping on his way to the cashier. “But one day, you’ll tell me who those people are.” 

The Chinese hums, bringing out money from his wallet. “It’ll be sooner than you think. It won’t come from me though, so just prepare your heart, I guess.” 

The day goes on ahead with Donghyuck laying on the couch tired and bored as he waits at Wong's and Li ú’s living room. Yangyang has been pacing around the dorm for an hour, pieces of clothing scattered in every corner of the living room, on the tables and chairs as he digs and digs deeper on his closet for something semi-formal and casual. Donghyuck boringly watches the colorful fabrics being thrown out in random places until a shirt hits his face, a particular blue coconut tree patterned button up shirt he had wear some time this week, he just can’t pinpoint out where and exactly when. 

“Watch it Yangyang,” he hisses, scrunching up his nose as the foul smell of the shirt lingers on his nose, it was probably used and hasn't been laundered for a couple of days and stayed along with other used clothes. It reeked of alcohol and smoke. “What’s this?”

“Your shirt dummy,” Yangyang replies, finally wearing something similar to Renjun’s. “Fuck, why do I look so bloated? Is it fine?” He looks at the mirror then hesitates but faces Donghyuck anyway to show him his ensemble. He’s wearing a black button up with dragon prints in glitters. 

“You look phenomenal you idiot, you look like you about to go puku puku paw paw.” Donghyuck exclaims and raises his arms to dance a couple of moves. Yangyang looks at him weirdly, baffles, “I don’t know what the fuck was that but I’m sensing a swag energy and cool vibe from it, so I guess I’m good huh.” 

“Awesome,” Donghyuck says as he sits down carefully, “but why do you have my shirt again?”  _ Mark’s shirt. _ He corrects in his head, he tends to borrow or maybe steal his clothes just because. 

“I forgot to return it to you, Yukhei hasn’t done out laundry, for like a week and a half already, you know that man.” Yangyang answers, combing his hair. 

“I mean how did it get here?” 

“Huh? You were wearing it last Wednesday dude, since you fell asleep when Yukhei and Renjun brought you here, I put you into a more comfy sleeping shirt, ya know?” 

Donghyuck smiles at the thought, no matter how reckless his friends are, at the end of the day they’re still caring, supportive, and basically the best. After staring at the shirt, the green coconut tree pattern finally clicked into his mind. He wore it last Wednesday according to Yangyang, which is also the day the championship party, the day thywent out for drinks to celebrate, the day Donghyuck first counted the stars, the day Donghyuck had realize he was fucking up, the day he saw Mark and Jaemin sucking the soul out of their bodies through their lips. But something did not click on Yangyang’s story. Donghyuck was pretty sure he had fallen asleep drunkenly on the rooftop of the bar but how did he end up here.

“Why did Yukhei bring me here anyways?” This time he was getting answers instead of a blackmail so he takes advantage of the situation, because the next day after the party, Renjun and Yangyang were so difficult to persuade to tell him what happened that night, or how he ended up on Yangyang’s bed, with his foot on his face. 

He hears Yangyang grunt from his room, his shadow visible from the opened door. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your make out sesh with Yukhei? God that was so traumatizing to hear about. Took me a whole day to process shit.” 

Donghyuck’s jaw opens wide, shocked, causing him to sit up right on the couch that his broken ankle hit the hand rest. He screams silently in pain. Blowing his foot like it would heal and ease the pain.

“You okay there?” Yangyang asks, his frantic movements have calmed but Donghyuck curses softly. He laughs at him and leans on the door frame, “So you did forget. Didn’t that hickey ring a bell?” Yangyang touches his own nape and points Donghyuck at that.

The hickey on his nape. The one Jaehyun had thought Mark gave him that’s why his captain congratulated him. The one Mark had been rubbing off with the towel so hard, the one Mark tried scrubbing off when he bathed him, the ugly mark that sticks on his tan skin for a week now. He touches it the hickey, and just like Harry Potter’s legendary scar, it gives him flashbacks, fragments of pictures from  _ that unforgettable night.  _ He hisses. “Well, fuck.”

“Indeed my dude. Fuck indeed,” he nods. “Wait, are you going looking like _ that _ ?” 

“Looking like  _ what _ , Li ú ?” He glares, dangerously that makes the taiwanese shut his mouth.

Renjun picks them up both. His shirt buttoned all the way to his neck and his slick dark hair pushed back. “You’re sexy.” Donghyuck says, breathless, touching the gelled hair.

“Hey, no touching! I spent two hours on this.” Renjun slaps Donghyuck’s hand away, to which he pouts at. Yangyang puckers his lips, boxing his head with his clammy fingers to inspect the hair. “Damn, what did you use?” 

“Only the best of the best products can make you sexy like me. And I won’t tell of course,” he brags. Donghyuck raises himself from the couch and links his arm to him when abruptly stops his tracks. “What?”

“Don’t tell me you’re going up that big ass platform and receive your fucking trophy looking like  _ that _ ?” Renjun flares, looking like a tiny muscled mouse ready to throw Donghyuck on a magic dress up closet as he eyes him. 

“I told you.” Yangyang mumbles.

“What’s wrong with it?” He irritatingly asks, looking down on his trousers and overly used Michael Jackson shirt. Donghyuck doesn’t even give a fuck of how he looks like. It’s not like he’ll be able to get the  _ one  _ thing he wants if he effortly dresses up. Sure, people are gonna praise him, maybe ask him to dance, congratulate him, maybe ask him for a date but it wouldn’t matter not as long it is that  _ one person  _ asking him those. 

Renjun elbows Yangyang angrily, barking at him. “You, my sir, look like a whole dish but you didn’t even bother embellishing our poor friend here which also happens to be the star of the night!” 

Donghyuck mouths an indignant _ hey!  _

“Oh please, for the love of God, Donghyuck Lee. You look hideous.” 

“I gotta say I agree with him.” Yangyang scrunches his nose with an awkward smile. 

“Fuck you two,” Donghyuck sighs, “Okay fine, do your worst bitches.” 

Renjun and Yangyang look at each other with equal amounts of excitement, bumping their fist in triumph. And as on cue, Yangyang blasts his speakers, a familiar song Mark used to play back in their dorm every weekend cleaning duty.

“What?” Yangyang asks when Donghyuck scrutinizes him with a creased forehead. “It’s Doja Cat. Mark has been contaminating my playlist ever since I let him borrow my Spotify Premium.” 

Donghyuck snorts then yelps when Renjun combs his hair, forcefully detangling the ash blonde strands. Yangyang helps him, glancing at the clock, they still have half an hour. 

“So y’all are my fairy godmother, I mean fairy goddaddy or something?” Donghyuck queries, distracting himself from the pain, tears pulling on the corners of his eyes as a pair of sharp toothed combs rakes on his scalp. “Stop moving your head dimwit! God, this hair is impossible, are you not even aware of the hair product called conditioner?” Renjun snarkled. 

“Shut up.” 

It takes them a whole twenty minute to shower his head, like what they do in the salon and unknowingly discovers the secrets behind the softest healthy locks. Renjun blows the top of Yukhei’s hair dryer like some gun, smirking in full victory along with Yangyang as he finishes the final touches of embellish on Donghyuck. 

“Now you look like one of us,” Yangyang compliments, then bends down on his knee, pretending to capture pictures of Donghyuck with his makeshift camera using his fingers in L shape.

“You mean like an idiot?” he replies, finally seeing himself in the mirror. His breath took away for a split second, turning his head from side to side. The coma hair, exposing his forehead, a bit slick from gel and other weird substances Renjun had put on his hair. Donghyuck swallows, touching the silver chain sitting pretty on the exposed clavicles of his neck. He’s wearing a black button up shirt with white heart prints on them, paired with black trousers and his favorite boots. 

“Oh.” He says, lost for words, biting his lower lip.

“Oh,” Renjun and Yangyang simultaneously mimics, teasing Donghyuck, their brows wiggling as they dance to the music.

“He likes it.” Renjun grins. 

“He better be.” Yangyang nods, a smug planted on his face. “Let’s hit it boys!” Renjun hollers followed by the Taiwanese’s scandalizing noises to the elevator. Pressing the G, whistling as they impatiently wait for the door to slide close. “Wait, where’s Donghyuck?”

“Oh shit!” Renjun curses. Yangyang forces open the door with his hand.

“You scumbags! How could you leave the wounded!” He fumes, limping on the carpets as he walks. Renjun grabs his arms and wraps it on his shoulders. They walk their way to the university’s vast multi purpose hall on the first building.

There are two big round lights crossing its light on the sky, lighting up the hall’s exterior. Varsity Night is a get together for jocks and game awardings for the season but the head of the Sports Department made it clear that everyone is invited and it’s free. A college student would never say no to free drinks, would never say no to a free buffet, would never say no to parties especially on a day where classes are suspended for tomorrow for a holiday celebration.

“Well this is some big ass party. The dean allowed this?” Yangyang asks a tad bit loudly as they enter through the big two-door way. Doja Cat’s Say So is blasting, reverberant and thumping, the base speakers along with the dancing swarm of bodies on the dance floor make the whole room vibrate. On one side of the room are long tables with food, the glorious cheese fountain set on the center. There are round tables everywhere and chairs covered in prestige fabric. People are clustered everywhere, to the photo booth — where a long line is visible — which he mentally takes notes of to invite his friends later ,  there’s a mini bar for drinks —there are alcohols but strictly for professors and staff only. He spots a few of his teammates wandering around with different people, his professors chatting. 

“Well, the Neos literally won three consecutive seasons, he had no choice but to allow it. It’s that big of a deal, actually.” Renjun says and Donghyuck couldn’t agree more. “Wait until you see the news articles next week.” He brags as he remembers his team’s scheduled interview that will be broadcasted live on national television.

They make their way to the front tables and sit there, the best spot to see the dance floor and the huge ass platform. The stage is draped with royal blue curtains and some large silver disco balls that hang from the ceiling and some small of the same kind as embellishments literally everywhere. 

“Looks like a high school prom to me,” Yangyang says, shaking as he gets goosebumps, feeling deja vu within. Donghyuck gets to greet some of his teammates and asks him to sit down with them but he chooses to stay with his friends instead. Jeno though and Yukhei sits on their table with two more unoccupied chairs beside them, seemingly reserved as they chatter.

The music suddenly dies and the chatter falls into silence as a man dressed in white suit stands on the platform then a high pitched shriek like sound reverates on the whole room when the mic points on the speaker, making everyone yelp and cover their ears. The dean apologizes.

He gives his welcoming remarks and finally the blessing to officially start the party. They all stand up and clap, heading to the buffet where the tall cheese fountain got the most attention.

“Dude look what I got!” Yukhei exclaims as he shows them a huge bowl filled with cheese. They cackle, dipping their pork cutlets into it and every meat they have on their platter. They roar in disgust when Donghyuck experimentally dips his California Maki to which he laughs off. 

Donghyuck’s fear arrives when one by one his friends stand to get their ass on the dance floor as Xiaojun’s band plays on the platform. 

“Seriously is this some corny prom dance?” Renjun face twists but stands up when one of his blockmate invites him, leaving Donghyuck all alone on the table. He scans the room, two hours since the party has started and he still hasn't seen Mark or Jaemin. He watches everyone dance to the beat with their perfect feet. He envies them, so bad. He sighs, feeling his inside crumple, the pits of his stomach gurgling as emptiness lingers, feeling the heavy weight on his heart. Donghyuck wants to go home, lay on the couch, binge Start Up while eating his favorite Chinese take out. He looks so out of place and way too lonely for the title of Star of the Night, very unfitting. No one’s there to talk to, not when everyone’s hyperly bouncing to some rock song the band is playing, until the music slows down. The slow strumming of Xiaojun’s guitar followed by the piano keys, everyone abruptly stops, clustering into pairs, moving slowly with their hands either on each other's shoulders or waist or hands on hands or whatever. Donghyuck doesn’t watch and lets the melancholy eat him up instead.

He closes his eyes, hesitating to go home or to maybe go have a grab a few drinks by the bar, go to the rooftop of the building and have his moment with the stars. Afterall, tonight is his last night of counting the stars. The seventh night, the last night he has to wish, the night where it is supposed to come true. He opens his eyes, finally decides to do the latter but his plans ruin and shatter when a hand unknowingly blocks his view of the platform. 

A hand that belonged to a person he never expected to see ask him for a dance as the music turns into something slow, something ballad. A hand owned by the person he never thought of even crossing paths with him. A hand owned by the person he hasn’t seen tonight not until this moment. Donghyuck’s orbs trace the hand then to his red silk shirt, the first two buttons undone, then his freshly dyed hair then finally, into his eyes filled with something unfathomable. He doesn’t take the hand but it also doesn’t falter, the person expecting it. 

“Oh Romeo, would thee be so kind and take min hand before it tires out of of exhaustion?” The recognizable and unmundane tone with the use of old english washes over him as the guy mutters, lovingly and very familiar. 

Donghyuck’s heart palpitates, a memory flashing before his eyes. A memory back in high school when Mr. Byun had chosen him for the role of Romeo for Romeo and Juliet in Theater class. But unfortunately, one week before the stage play, he called in sick and was unable to play the said role. Good thing is that there’s always a second option, a backup, a plan b just right for situations like this. Everything was smooth, this _person_ got the role of Romeo in place of Donghyuck and got to go to Donghyuck’s house just to rehearse his lines and actions and Donghyuck would be very much willing to help him. Donghyuck would even play the role of Juliet for him. Until everything got intimate and close, at least for this _person’s_ point of view _only_ since it is very much known and obvious that Donghyuck is in love with his all time best friend slash enemy. 

Donghyuck then remembers that one night in his last year of high school.  _ "Donghyuck, do you like that boy from Mr. Byun’s Theater Class?" Mark asks suddenly in the middle of Kart Rider, also the day before Mark graduates and heads off to college. Donghyuck flinches from the question and tries to remember a boy in their class that isn't Mark. But to no avail _ _ — _ _ to his (mis)fortune, his memory sensory failing him _ _ — _ _ he ends up saying, "What boy? You?"  _

Donghyuck then remembers from the championship game one week ago.  _ “That’s Na? That kid from Mr. Byun’s theater class?” Donghyuck asks Mark. “Yes, Donghyuck,” he replies, perplexed by Donghyuck's bafflement, “didn’t you like him or like had a crush on him back in high school?”  _

The situation gets even worse when it clicks on Donghyuck until he faces the owner of the hand. Staring deep into his eyes, badly wanting to know why the fuck is  _ Jaemin Na _ asking him for a dance. Isn’t he supposed to be with Mark? Isn’t he supposed to be Mark’s date right now, dancing slowly beneath the lights  _ or  _ wasn’t he supposed to be with Renjun all this time? Wasn’t he supposed to be dating him instead? But he kissed Mark. But he also led Renjun on, exchanging numbers with him at the post game, meeting up with him in the library (as Yangyang said _ — _ a non reliable source by the way ). Was he missing something? Donghyuck doesn’t know what the fuck is going on, all he knowsis that he is very mad and wants to punch the perfect face belonging to Jaemin. 

As baffled Donghyuck is then are the wired connections between Mark, Renjun, and Jaemin. Licking his lips, he accepts the hand that has been hanging for at least a minute or two. 

“Tonight, I have a special guest,” they hear Xiaojun say into the mic, echoing on all four corners of the room. “Singing here live with my bandmates is a very special friend of mine and together we will play a very special song. I hope y’all enjoy it.” 

“To all the people inside this room... to those who have been cheated on! To those who have been rejected! To those who have been led on! To those cowards who can’t admit! To those old divorced professors at the back! To my lover, to everyone’s lover, this is for you.” Xiaojun shouts into the microphone, the deafening cheers, the whistles and the applause, all combined roar into their ears, Xiaojun laughs then strums the first note of his guitar.

The chants and cheers slowly die, getting back to their respective partners, placing their hands back at the warmth of their lovers, the part of them carved perfectly for their lovers’ hands to fit in or maybe not. He sees Yangyang from afar with a pink bubblegum haired boy he isn’t familiar with. Renjun is with Jeno, unsurprisingly. Laughing their ass of, seemingly out of their own world as Jeno spins and spins him. Donghyuck focuses on Jaemin’s hands gripping softly on the flesh of the curve of his stomach. 

“Did you forget that I can’t dance?” 

Jaemin chuckles. Gripping tightly both of his waist from behind as he sways them together. Technically, he can’t dance but he can still sway his hips for some movement. Donghyuck follows his lead, obedient. “How could I? When I was the one put you in that situation.” 

“I should be mad,” Donghyuck scoffs, feeling the warmth of the person behind him. It’s not the comforting home warmth, but the ‘summer love that had broken apart’ type of warmth. “Oh, I am mad, actually. But it feels so wrong either, not when I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you and my friends.” 

“So why’d you take my hand then?”

“Why’d you asked me to dance then?” 

He hears Jaemin chortle. His mouth is too close. Donghyuck can literally feel his breathing and heartbeat and wants to elbow him, maybe pay back what he did to him, his ankle. 

“I danced with you, to get to the bottom of this. What the fuck are you on about Na?” Donghyuck queries, sedate but the indignation present on his tone and the way his jaw clenches. He feels his head pulsate, banging in pain. He wants to go home, to his remedy. Fate somehow brought remedy to him, adjusting for him when a familiar guitar rhythm plays. A rhythm he constantly hears on his dorm’s balcony, the telescope untouched. A song from John Mayor. The same song he waltzed to in prom during his high school days. 

Donghyuck’s senses travel away from Jaemin and his unsettling warmth to focus on the repetitive catchy rhythm of the guitar. The bodies besides them sway slowly to the music, as the familiar intro of the song plays. Donghyuck’s eyes are stuck on the person singing on the platform as soon as the first verse comes. The pits of his stomach tingles, feeling the butterflies again, fluttering wildly on Donghyuck’s dull and gloomy forest, making it gleam and sparkle with so much life. The sparks travel to his chest, feeling the tingle there as he watches him sing. He’s not shy with his voice but it’s his first time singing live while playing his guitar with a real audience He’s wearing a white button up that’s obviously a bit too big, buttons undone to the third displaying a silver chain, Donghyuck touches his own at that, and too much skin exposed. His hair parted in the middle, a bit disheveled, like someone had just pulled into them many times, looking tired. 

Donghyuck doesn’t know what to do when Mark spares him a glance while singing his favorite John Mayor song, he doesn’t know what to do when Mark stares directly at him for a longer period as he mouths the lyrics, “Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me.”

Donghyuck is lost. Too lost. He dreams of going home, skipping the party, to hell with his trophy, to hell with the awardings, to hell with his team, they could go on without him. But tonight, he just wanted to lie on the couch, cuddle with Mark and watch their favorite Netflix shows. Donghyuck doesn’t say anything and thinks of it, deeply, his heartbeat, so loud, beating wildly like anytime it’s going to come out of his chest. 

“A lovely sight isn’t it?” Jaemin implies. He feels his breath on his ears, on the side of his neck, intoxicating. The scent of a summer fling gone wrong, the scent of rain with a mix of Donghyuck’s room back in Jeju. And most importantly, the unsettling feeling. The feeling of a mistake, a one sided love, too much skinship, a painful story. 

Donghyuck nods, adoring the stars on Mark’s eyes as it twinkles back at him. Donghyuck remembers the time he waltzed with this song playing during prom. He remembers watching Mark dance with a popular cheerleader, then became prom king and queen, still waltzing to this song. As sad as it looks, he never forgets the way Mark asked him first, that Mark asked him last too, with this song playing. With the way he bravely goes to the DJ to ask the song playing and starting that night, he forever treasured the song within his heart. It didn’t matter if he danced to any other girl, to any other guy because Donghyuck was his first and last. But now he’s singing it on the stage, he’s singing it live with his guitar, in front of the whole university and mostly, in front of him while he dances with another guy.

Donghyuck breaks with the way Mark’s expression indicates the message and the tone of the tune as he sings, feeling all sorts of emotion within him. He stiffens when Mark scans him, the hands on his waist, the head on his neck, then locks eyes with him, he closes his eyes, inhaling deep on his stomach, holding his chest then sings, “I’m just about to set fire in everything I see.”

Jaemin laughs at the coincidence or maybe it’s not, still swaying Donghyuck slowly. 

“I want you so bad I’ll go back on the things I believe,” Mark sings, locking eyes with Donghyuck as he plucks the strings of his guitar with much force creating a powerful riff, his voice coming out a bit rough, like a rock star as the note hits a bit high within his range. 

“It’s just perfect,” Jaemin whispers, “don’t you think?” His grip loosens, hanging comfortable on Donghyuck’s waist, still leading the dance. “I finally got what I wanted. I’m here finally dancing with you while he stands there and has to endure a whole night looking at us. Oh how the roles switched.” Donghyuck wonders what the hell he's talking about because he has no idea, not a single clue, nor he gives a fuck, it may hurt Jaemin but it didn’t matter because all Donghyuck wants to do right now is to run to the stage and kiss Mark in front of a hundred audience, students, professor, staffs. He wants to go to Mark on the stage, to ease out the pain in his chest, to smoothen the parallel line on his forehead, to kiss him so deep that he’ll see stars. But it doesn’t happen, not when he has an injury disallowing him to run, not when he wants to know what’s Jaemin’s motive.

“But as perfect as it sounds, as perfect as my dream is, as perfect and accurate on my wishes, as it’s too good to be true to finally have you in my arms, I couldn’t still have it. Not when your heart always belonged to that same person, to the same nerd who grew up to be the genuine, smart, down to earth, loving person…” he trails then he sniffles. A hint of melancholy evident on his tone. Donghyuck still doesn’t know what he means, still doesn’t get everything, still doesn’t know how to feel. ‘Cause it looks like what Jaemin is trying to say is that he was in love with Donghyuck the whole time. But then he managed to get inside Mark and Renjun’s head. What was that about?

“It’s that stars’ fault, Donghyuck,” Jaemin says, hugging Donghyuck this time, his arms tightly wrapping around his torso, placing his forehead on his shoulders. “It’s the stars’, it has always been them, if it weren’t for the wishes…it's power, if that’s what your heart truly desires.” 

Donghyuck doesn’t know what prompted him to rub a finger comfortingly on the calloused hands on Jaemin but he does it anyway, exhaling deep, not knowing the proper words to dictate. But sometimes, silence is better than words, more comforting.

“Steady my breathing, silently screaming, I have to have you now,” Mark leans into the mic, eyes never letting go of Donghyuck then it darts to his and Jaemin’s linked hands and stares at it for a longer time. Donghyuck gets flushed, not stupid to realize how the song is basically a love confession of Mark. But part of him stays negative, stays idiotic and moronic if he’s to assume that it’s just nothing, that the constant eye locking is nothing, that the way Mark gestures to him is nothing but platonic. But Donghyuck lets go of the latter. 

“That asshole,” Jaemin mumbles cheekily with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes then lets go of Donghyuck immediately but still in his aid so that he can stand. “He’s glaring at me.” Donghyuck chuckles, finally enjoying his presence when he gives him space.

“Anyways, I guess my work here is done.” The smile he has is unfaltering, slowly walking away through the crowd as soon as his freshly dyed black hair disappears. The scent lingers, the feeling lingers, the summer heartbreak stays within, the summer one sided love remains unexplored, and too many questions that were never asked.

Donghyuck stands still in the middle of the busy swaying crowd, of the graceful body languages as they dance. He puts all his weight on one of his feet, ignoring the pain from his injury, the painkiller he took coming off, as he watches Mark pull the strap of his guitar off, letting Xiaojun lead and some guy handle the rhythm as they enter the instrumental part in the bridge, which is a minute long.

He opens his mouth to speak, maybe he had prepared something. Donghyuck expects it, he knew assuming would always lead to a broken heart, but for once he’s hoping and he’s confident. Mark licks his lips, opening and closing his mouth, like he’s struggling to find the words he wanted to say, he bites his lower lip. Xiaojun looks at Mark, encouraging him to speak up but it never happens. Mark bows his head, backing away from the mic, fidgeting. And just like that, Donghyuck proves himself that assuming indeed leads to a broken heart. Donghyuck looks like a fool standing in the middle of the crowd, the crowd filled with lovers dancing. He limps as he walks away with a heavy heart. At this rate, maybe he’ll believe all was nothing, what Jaemin had said was all nothing. The song continues, but no one's singing, the rhythm filled with rest notes. No one seems to notice ,except for the band, because they’re still technically dancing. 

Donghyuck successfully makes it out of the hall and to the fire exit where it leads to the rooftop. He laughs as the song is still stuck on the instrumental until Xioajun’s voice covers for the chorus, it’s a bit muffled since the huge doors are closed, but still loud and audible. Donghyuck carries himself to the stairs, sweat pooling on the sides of his forehead as he uses all of his energy lifting himself with the aid of the rails. He sits down on the railing of the rooftop. It’s not that high, four stories above, there are trees near him, the parking lot visible filled with cars and motorbikes. 

The chilly breeze of Wednesday night blows against Donghyuck's long hair. His breath hitches as he glances upwards, the serene clouds moving gracefully in the vast pitch black sky, the swallowing void of darkness makes the silver orbs wink, gleaming brightly, indeed a dreamy view to admire. Donghyuck smiles through the struckening pain clenching at the pit of his stomach, now climbing to his chest. 

It’s cute how Mark rejected him yesterday, successfully making him think that Mark was going with Jaemin but it played out to be quite the opposite and the unexpected. He was going to perform and it shocked Donghyuck the most. 

He sighed for the hundredth time. Probably thirty-one was from lifting himself with his injured ankle and sixty-nine from thinking of Mark and his failed attempt at confessing, _ if he really was confessing. _

He hears the door to the stairs creak open, unsurprisingly. Renjun knows everything so he probably knows what happened earlier at the dance and with the show Mark has put on. He sits next to Donghyuck, handing him a cow chocolate milk in a carton box, his favorite. 

“Where’d you even get this?” Donghyuck chortles a small laugh as he pops the side open, taking a sip of the sweet liquid, loving the cold sensation on his insides like it somehow eases the heat of pain when his stomach churns.

“I stole it.”

“You’re fucking with me.”

“What? I stole it you idiot,” Renjun pushes, slapping Donghyuck’s thigh then he sighs, “so I guess you now know who I’m talking about?”

Donghyuck creases his forehead, still sucking on his milk then lays his head on his best friend’s shoulders. “What are you talking about?”

“The one I talked to you about earlier in the morning. About you being sunny and all that long praising shit.”

“Ah the one you say is from ‘a couple of people’?”

Renjun nods, biting his lower lip. 

“Yes. I’m assuming you know them already?”

Donghyuck shaked his head slowly, thinking of those people who genuinely cared for him and were crazy enough and insane to talk about it with Renjun. 

“What do you mean no? Donghyuck, I saw you with Jaemin earlier, with my two sharp eyes.” 

“What are you trying to say?” _ That Jaemin was one of those people? _ He thinks. It’s obvious though but he wanted to clarify it with Renjun, he wants him to sort and clear things and explain to him everything with their wired connections.

“Donghyuck, I know that you know and I’m sorry that anything beyond that will absolutely not come out from my precious mouth. It had to be them. Or at least Mark.”

“But Jaemin… Na is… everything’s weird and confusing, really. I’m still processing everything he told me earlier. It’s like he was just a huge hindrance, you know, like a misplaced character in my story, sent in the wrong timeline of my life, like a draft that’s not ready but God decided to upload it anyway.”

“God’s never wrong in any way Donghyuck, you know that. MAybe he made it like that because Jaemin… he’s a plot twist. The game changer. The solution.” 

Donghyuck thinks about it, thinks about Jaemin being the plot twist, the game changer, the solution. All is normal when Jaemin hasn't come back to his life—and by normal, he meant being in love with Mark and also being the president of the cowards club. The normal day when his mouth and mind never stops running, filled with Mark. But then he decides to count the stars that night. The stars that will grant you your deepest desires. The summoning of the seven stars for seven nights and your wish will be their command. 

He remembers doing the superstition when something came up. He starts counting the stars to save him from his cowardice, so that he’ll be granted a wish, so that he’ll be saved. For what exactly? For why? What was the purpose of doing it? What was the purpose of counting the stars? What was Donghyuck’s reason?

What was the purpose of him counting the stars when he could’ve just straight up gone to Mark and talk about his feelings? But he didn’t, not when  _ that day, that night, that moment _ , he saw a threat. A threat hiding in the beautiful face of this pink haired boy. A threat that was all over Mark’s lips. Donghyuck counted the stars, so his deepest desires may come true, he did that to assure himself because he saw a threat—and it’s none other than Jaemin Na.

Renjun is right. Jaemin is the plot twist in his story, the game changer to his one sided no end game, the solution to his challenges. Because if he hadn’t come, he wouldn’t probably try to win Mark’s heart from Jaemin. But Jaemin is another perplexing idea, like an entity, he remembers him mouthing on the shell of Donghyuck’s ear before he leaves. 

_“It’s that stars’ fault, Donghyuck,”_ _Jaemin says in hushed worried tones, “It’s the stars’, it has always been them, if it weren’t for the wishes… it’s power, if that’s what your heart truly desires.”_

Could it be that Jaemin was… 

Donghyuck’s head pulse in pain again, he holds one side of his temples. He hisses as he massages it to soothe it out. 

“You’re right.” Donghyuck whispers, all of it finally making sense, but there’s still a lot of questions that should be answered, but Renjun would probably not tell him, he’ll give out his best reasons for him not being in the place to tell.

“You’re smart Donghyuck. But so dumb at the same time that it’s causing me so much pain.” Renjun quibbles that makes Donghyuck stifle out a breathy laugh, agreeing with his friend.

“Seriously though. Jaemin has left, so what’s stopping you from going to Mark?”

“I don’t know Injeolmi,” Donghyuck replies, crumpling the paper box and throwing it somewhere on the concrete behind them to which Renjun glares at him.

“What do you mean you don’t know? Don’t tell me you’re still salty as fuck just because he rejected you last night? The guy totally cut you out to perform live tonight just for you, dumbass,” Renjun hisses, his nostrils flaring with his eyes wide, holding Donghyuck on his shoulders to snap him out of whatever moronic trance he is stuck in, “just for you.”

“Alright, alright. Stop doing that, you look like my mom.” 

“You can’t expect me to calm down, now that you have the fucking chance and you’re ruining it! I swear to God Lee, I am so tired of Mark’s banters, I am so tired of giving him tons of advice he never follows! I am so tired of all the flowery words he’s telling me everyday, I am sick of it!” He complaints, still the same look Donghyuck had described looking like his mom. 

Donghyuck doesn’t say anything because he’s guilty. He closes his eyes, thinking of ways on how he should approach Mark as Renjun helps him down the rooftop , the deadly stairs then back to the hall. Renjun will then leave him to run to the crowd with Jeno and promises to him that he’ll come back. 

“Huang, you son of a bitch,” Donghyuck hugs him, “thank you for sticking up with my dumbass, you’ve been a big help, seriously. I never knew you were capable.” 

Renjun smacks his head.

“For fucks sake. I’m tryna be a good friend here?” He breathes and once he feels renjun chuckle and clams down, he continues. “I really don’t know how I could make up for it but I guess I could take it from here? I don’t wanna be indebted to you even more.” He stifles out a laugh, his heart blooming, like a tall grass swaying gracefully at the present of a warm breeze. 

“Oh you’ll pay alright Lee, you owe me big time,” he threatens like Donghyuck would run away with literally a debt that has to be paid greater than half of his lifetime. 

“Wouldn’t a kiss be enough?” 

Renjun twists the skin on his nape earning a loud groan from Donghyuck and an indignant retort. 

“Okay fine. A date with Jaemin, how about that?” And oh boy did Renjun literally tenses in his embrace, making him halt on his actions. Donghyuck suspiciously looks at him, “what cat got your tongue?”

The Chinese covered his mouth with his palms, shushing him, but Donghyuck licks over the salty sweat of the skin. “Shut up Lee.”

“I know I’m stupid Huang. Only when it comes to the love of my life but not with you.” 

Donghyuck realizes it earlier. When Renjun took him on his arms to help him down the rooftop. There’s a hickey on the side of his collarbone hidden inside of the sequin fabrics but not so subtle when Donghyuck had pulled on it for support, exposing it. Then the most careless thing he has done when Renjun’s phone is just tucked on his sweaty palms, causing it to fall on the rise and Donghyuck doesn’t miss the notification on his screen when it popped open. He guesses it right, not with the strawberry emoji nickname but with the content of the message. 

_ “How’s Donghyuck?” with a timestamp of an hour ago.  _ Exactly the time when Renjun had gotten up to Donghyuck. If it’s Jaemin and not another person, it will make sense. The exchanging of numbers during the game, the not so subtle staring at the pizza parlor, the constant meetups and the  _ pink notebook  _ he saw that night. The day Mark had gone to the library that’s why he's unable to meet up with Donghyuck for lunch. The same day of the lunch when Renjun had left him and Yangyang. And Yangyang being the non-reliable source he was, says that Renjun was meeting Jaemin when it has been Mark all along. Donghyuck remembers opening the pink notebook. The scribble of Jaemin’s name on the back of his notebook, like some grade schooler behaviour. He recognizes the penmanship not as Mark but totally Renjun’s. He confirms this when Renjun had texted him the next day, telling him to remind Mark to give him back his notebook before he burns the kitchen while cooking the legendary salted rock egg. And that’s how Donghyuck concluded the one sided shallow petty feelings of Renjun for Jaemin.

Renjun doesn’t deny Donghyuck’s idea of setting him up on a date with Jaemin, surprisingly and instead arches his brow. “And how are you gonna do that Donghyuck Lee?” 

“Easy enough for me to convince him, afterall I kinda have his heart, remember? He might be weak when it comes to me. We’ll see.” Donghyuck muses, a smug look in his face, seemingly proud. Renjun’s ears turn red, glaring furiously at Donghyuck jokingly. 

“Getting bold huh, didn’t you just call him a pest on your story earlier?”

“I was just getting. I’ll still have to thank him for the injury when I actually end up with… yeah.”

“Okay you fucker. I hope you don’t eat your words.” Renjun licks his palm and uses the slick to fix a few strands on Donghyuck’s forehead, making him presentable as ever then bids him goodbye and goodluck for indeed his love life is at peril.

Xiaojun’s band is still playing with another special guest, a tall first year rapping his heart out while the crowd hypes him crazily, jumping into the beat. His eyes scan for Mark. He’s definitely not in the photo booth, where a long line extends to the back as Yangyang tales his time taking pictures with some guys on his block. He’s not in the buffet area either, it’s just Yukhei there, rummaging through the meat section, plate filled with proteins and dairy. 

Donghyuck gives up on searching for Mark and just decides to bother Yukhei on his calorie adventure of the day. He walks to him slowly, limping a bit on his crocs but he manages. He’s about to tap Yukhei on the tall expanse of his back when his eyes stop on a white polo and black hair, sitting on a stool at the bar. His back curved, seemingly tired and stressed. He’s facing Donghyuck around 15 feet away from him. The corners of his eyes lopsiding downward, zero hint of enjoyment, the absence of joy, his lower lip bitten by his teeth, one of his fist carrying the weight of his head as his elbow is prompted on the counter holding a drink. There are people scattered and grouped like a school of fish, making it impossible for Mark to see Donghyuck across the space.

Donghyuck takes a deep breath and takes a step forward when the almighty Jaehyun Jung appears besides Mark. His big frame covers half of him but he doesn’t miss the way Mark’s clothed arm wraps around Jaehyun’s torso, burying his head on his chest. But it doesn’t stop him, he continues walking, badly wanting to pull Jaehyun and his sneaky hands that’s everywhere on Mark’s torso. He can feel his blood boiling, his hands balls into a fist. Nothing stops him this time, except when their lips connect. 

_ You’re late, too late. You’ve fucked up again. _

There’s an ugly feeling as he watches Mark letting Jaehyun angle his head, letting him do whatever he pleases. Donghyuck bites his lips, he’s so close to him, but wasn’t just fast enough. He’s always been this close, but being president of the cowards club really did something to him. Donghyuck ignores them and turns around to walk back outside, but he happens to stumble upon a stupid peice of metal parched on the floor to cover unwanted cables. His injured ankle twisting in the process. The pain spikes Donghyuck, feeling his blood being poked by huge fine sharpened needles. Donghyuck lets out a yelp and a groan at the same time, breathing shallow as two huge arms halts him from his fall.

Yukhei eyes are shiny with a hint of worry on them as he asks Donghyuck. “Hyuck! You okay?” Donghyuck nods quickly, trying to steady himself. 

Yukhei puts an abrupt end to his calorie adventure and decides to help him up and go with him outside the hall. Donghyuck exhales, not sparing a glance on Mark, who is on his way to him but Jaehyun puts a hand on his chest to stop him. 

Yukhei gladly gives Donghyuck a piggy back ride on the way back to the rooftop and convinces him to leave him alone, that he’s fine and that he shouldn’t be worried over him. Yukhei puts his hands up on defeat.

“I’m sorry Donghyuck,” he whispers, scratching the back of his head, “you know, about the party last time. We were both drunk that time and I guess you didn’t like it either.” He points to his nape where the mark has faded into a light pinkish-purple color. 

Donghyuck shakes his head, a small smile plastering on his face. “That’s okay. Besides it’s nothing unusual, Yukhei.” They fist bump and Yukhei eventually leaves, telling Donghyuck to call him if anything goes wrong. He nods but he definitely won’t.

It’s deja vu really. The  feeling of having already experienced the present situation. Donghyuck is pretty sure one week ago, he’s at a party too looking for Mark where he finds him kissing Jaemin. And exactly seven days after, he finds himself looking for Mark at a party only to find him all smooched with Jaehyun this time. Donghyuck remembers seven days ago, sitting by the rooftop wishing to the stars. It’s just too funny because he’s doing the exact same thing again this time.

I still have a chance,  _ maybe. _ Donghyuck thinks. Today is his seventh day of counting the stars, the night where his deepest desire will finally be commanded by the stars themselves. Donghyuck, the everly stupid, moron, idiot, and gullible, depends on the power of the celestials, depends his whole life on the stars. There’s no harm in trying anyways, so there’s nothing wrong with what he's doing. 

Donghyuck despite being mad at disney, despite being a fool of wishes do come true when you wish upon a star, despite learning his moral lessons, despite the realization, he deceives himself even more by ignoring all of it, by still believing despite the awareness.

Without pondering much further, he decides to count the stars. The wind intensifies, blowing the trees near him, the collars and extra fabric of his shirt sticking away from his body, exposing sunkissed skin. He points to one big star that kept winking “One,” 

“Two...”

“Three...”

“Four…”

The stars gleam as he points at them one by one, like magically commanding into his desires. Donghyuck misses it, as it twinkles one more time. The wind blowing, making the branches continuously shake, the leaves dancing gracefully underneath the starlight.

“Five…”

“Six…”

Donghyuck’s seventh night, the last night. The superstition mentioned of it granting the said wish as you count seven stars for a complete consecutive seven days, which Donghyuck is able to complete. But there was one teenie tiny problem. The sky isn’t exactly starless, but there were only a few of them, he can’t seem to count them to seven. Donghyuck panics. If there’s no more star to count then his wish wouldn’t come true. He can’t wait for another seven days, he wants it now. Donghyuck spins his head, looking for that one star.  _ Please just one more, please.  _

He feels dizzy and his neck cramps by looking up too much at the sky.  _ Just one more please, give me one more please. _

Donghyuck pleads, searching for one more star, he can’t lose the chance, he can’t. He doesn’t want Mark — his star — to slip off of him, to finally turn in a black hole to his galaxy, he can’t afford to watch his star hang up on another sky. Donghyuck pleads.

The universe seems to have taken his side for once, finally, because his prayers are answered the minute the door bangs open. Donghyuck snaps his head to the loud crashing of the metal door to the concrete wall, where the person he least expects stands there with his hands on his knees, panting. 

The world seems to slow down as Mark jogs towards him. His fluffy hair bouncing on his head as he makes his way to Donghyuck. His eyes are glistening, the glint of starlight, gleaming perfectly like the stars above, the six orbs hung in the sky are full on display on Mark’s own. It’s ethereal that Donghyuck gets lost, feeling his soul being sucked in the void.

Donghyuck’s world spins as Mark closes their distance slowly, his time frame running on the lowest speed possible. Donghyuck looks up to the sky, he sees the six stars wink at him.  _ It has to be seven or else it won’t work. It looked inviting, so inviting, as my soul gets sucked, it’s hard to resist. Slowly, I get stuck in a trance. I can feel my eyes widening, welcoming the starlight, swallowing me in pure bliss, and dazzle of glitters, of pure light of love. I must get this done.  _

Donghyuck looks at Mark again. The buttons of his shirt undone to the fourth. He remembers how he hated showing skin — not that he’s conscious about it anyways — but not now. Not when he’s running for his life just to get to Donghyuck like he’s about to lose him for the rest of his life, like he’s hanging on a thin thread ready to be swallowed by the dark abyss. 

Donghyuck’s heart burns, as it pulsates quickly, like a car running at full speed on an empty road as he quickly recounts the stars until he reaches six, then looks up to Mark who’s a few feet away from Donghyuck. With one deep exhale, he looks at him

_ “Seven.”  _

Donghyuck isn’t actually sure what he’s doing when he counts Mark as his one star missing, as his last missing star. And just like that he closes his eyes, furiously as he makes his wish, as he tells the stars his deepest desire in silence. As the word seven leaves his lips, as the stars listen to his wish, the wind begins to blow wildly. It runs in circles, dragging the leaves with it, dragging the flower petals with it. The sky gleams brightly when other stars slowly bloom in the sky. 

Donghyuck waits for a few seconds, his head tilting up to the sky, feeling the chilly breeze travel up his spine. Jolts of electricity piercing within him. Nothing happens, Donghyuck thinks as he’s unable to see what’s happening outside, keeping his eyes fully shut.  _ Great, he’s made a fool of himself again. _

The wind continues blowing, until it seeps through Donghyuck’s hair, to his nape, to his exposed skin bringing broken flowers within from the tree nearby. A white petal falls gracefully on his nose. 

_ Did the stars really hear my deepest desires? Did the stars grant my wish?  _ Donghyuck questions. And like in every disney story out there, like fairytales out there, the unknown, the celestial responds to him. It’s the stars, Donghyuck thinks. It’s all because of the stars. The stars responded to him in a way he wasn't expecting.

The stars heard Donghyuck. The stars granted his deepest desires. The stars made his wish come true. He realizes this when the world finally spins back on its normal tempo, when his mind shuts down, when his stomach overflows with pretty butterflies, when his lungs fill up with the familiar scent of home, childhood memories, young love, so sweet like a sunflower blooming in the warmth of the sky, when the sweet intoxicating lips of Mark presses on his. They don’t move at all, their lips just stay pressed to each other. A long smack as Mark holds Donghyuck’s jaw with both of his sweaty hands. 

It’s deja vu, really. Donghyuck can finally recall when this happened. One week ago at the same party for jocks, he sits alone on the rooftop, counting the stars for the same exact reason as of now. The unforgettable night when he thought Mark had found his star, Jaemin. But when Donghyuck wakes up from the short slumber on the rooftop, he recalls fragments of memories. Like the taste of Yukhei’s lips, his thick lips on his nape, sucking the legendary mark. It felt wrong that time. But not today, not when it’s Mark who he’s kissing him right now. 

It’s unexplainable. How all things happen. What’s with this superstition anyway? Who made up this superstition? Seven stars for seven days and you’ll get a whole fairytale like this? In a span of a week? Something doesn’t add up. Donghyuck remembers Jaemins words to him, earlier at the dance. 

_“It’s that stars’ fault, Donghyuck,”_ _Jaemin says in hushed worried tones, “It’s the stars’, it has always been them, if it weren’t for the wishes…It’s power, if that’s what your heart truly desires.”_

Mark’s lips are wet probably from sweat or it’s saliva. It’s all slimy with squelching noises as his lips start moving. Slotting it perfectly on Donghyuck’s parted lips, focusing on trapping the plump lower lip with his. Donghyuck’s body heats up as Mark angles his head more, welcoming the hotness of his breath to his, making that wet on wet noise. 

“Donghyuck,” Mark whispers into his lips, breathless, from running or from kissing, or maybe both. He doesn’t know if it’s a moan or if he’s calling him and put a halt unto this unexpected turn of events.

But Donghyuck guesses the latter and pulls away after contemplating. He doesn’t speak, he can’t even look at him straight in the eyes so Donghyuck just closes his eyes, mirroring him as he feels the exact same emotion. It’s a soul thing, perhaps. Mark’s hands are still on his jaw, his sweaty forehead sticks to his, still catching his breath. 

“Please tell me this isn’t a dream,” Donghyuck murmurs breathily, placing his arms on Mark’s back, clutching the soft fabric tight much to his consternation, “tell me this is true. That you’re actually here with me.”

“I’m here,” Mark assures, placing his chin on top of Donghyuck’s head. He exhales and nuzzles into the crook of his neck. “Did I do it right this time?” Mark asks.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s supposed to be Yukhei,” he says. Donghyuck’s forehead creases, puzzled as to why would he think like that. “Donghyuck, I have to tell you something really important.” Now he becomes more perplexed and somehow patient but he doesn’t want to speak, he snuggles deep into Mark, clutching on his shirt even tighter making the fabric ride up, exposing his lower back. 

“Donghyuck, I can’t breathe.” 

He lets go, mouthing a sorry, removing himself from Mark’s embrace but he doesn’t budge, encircling his arms back on Donghyuck’s shoulders. He’s sitting on the concrete makeshift railing of the rooftop as Mark stands in the middle of his parted thighs.

“But, first I’d like to clear up myself,” he raises Donghyuck’s head, holding his jaw, “Jaehyun and I weren’t.... It’s not what you think. Taeyong and him… they’re kind of a thing now. He was just giving me a consolation of some sort.”

His eyes widened at that and he trusts Mark so he doesn’t ponder at it much, not caring about Jaehyun’s love life but if he’s with Taeyong, Mark’s older brother, then he wishes them the best. Maybe it’s the angle that fools him, his brain deceiving him. 

“How’d you even know I was here?” He asks instead.

“I saw you, before Yukhei took you out. I wonder how he always ends up with you,” he says, placing again his chin on top of Donghyuck’s head. “I always see you, Donghyuck. My eyes are always on you, they never left. God knows they never do.” 

Donghyuck’s heart begins racing, the lovely creatures start fluttering on the forest of his chest. As much as he’s shocked, his heart is busy admiring Mark Lee, in all honesty and unfiltered but his brain processes Mark’s words and has interpreted two meanings from it. 

One, when he said Yukhei always ends up with him, does that mean Mark saw them too during the party seven days ago? From _ that night? _ Two, he says his eyes are always on him. Oh boy, did Donghyuck get flushed by that, his cheeks heating up. Well it’s kind of obvious since Mark wasn’t really subtle when it comes to staring but something about admitting it makes it even hotter for some reasons.

Mark clears his throat. “Donghyuck, I have to tell you something important,” he plays with his hair, carding his slender fingers unto the soft locks like the way he used to. Donghyuck closes his eyes, letting the sweet scent of Mark wafts in his nose. “I failed big time. I thought I was gonna fail again, I thought I was too late again. During the song earlier… It was a dick move. It wasn’t what I practiced the whole night, God I messed up badly, Xiaojun almost beat me up with his guitar.” He stifles out a nervous laugh, but it’s something sincere as he tells the story, as he apologizes. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not up for a scripted speech Lee,” Donghyuck manages to say, pretending he didn’t just become a drama mama while he makes his way to the rooftop. Acting all salty when a song dedication should be enough. “By the way, you look like John Mayor himself earlier, like when Taylor Swift broke up with him with your emotions.” 

Mark chuckles, surprised. “Since when did you get into things like that?”

Donghyuck only shrugs. “But you’re pretty good yourself, your voice is immaculate and I love the way you stare by the way. You scared the hell out of Jaemin.” Mark chortles.

“Thanks, I learnt from the best,” Mark smiles, still has his chin drill on top of Donghyuck’s head. “As I was saying… I didn’t mean to reject you last night. It’s just that I can’t tell you my plan? I think I successfully had you thinking I was going with Jaemin.”

“Dude, you have no idea.”

“Well, weren’t you surprised earlier?” 

“I was,” Donghyuck remembers Jaemin’s lingering touch. “So will you finally tell me what the hell is going in with you and Na?”

He can feel Mark’s heart racing as he plops his head on his chest. 

“I was planning to, but there’s a lot of things I'd like to tell you before I explain about that,” Mark says so Donghyuck removes himself from the Canadian. “Go ahead, we have all the time to ourselves anyway,” he mumbles, crossing his arms. There’s a hint of playfulness to his tone and with the way the corner of his lips twitch, his lips ajar.

“Okay, but first,” Mark looks down on Donghyuck, as both of his hands are on his nape, staring deep into his eyes, “let me just do this.” He finalizes before surging forward on Donghyuck, closing their distance. Their chests flushed together, his hands on Donghyuck’s jaw, cupping his cheeks, their lips slotting perfectly on each other as Mark led the kiss. His head angling and doing experimental tilting just to find the perfect spot on Donghyuck’s lips. It’s soft, just pampering shy kisses into each other then there’s a swift change in the gradation of intensity that makes Donghyuck exhale heavily on Mark’s lips, the sound reverberating down his throat as Mark swallows every silent sound he makes.

Mark pulls on Donghyuck’s hair to further bend down his head, making his plump lips part. Donghyuck holds onto Mark’s hand that is placed on his jaw and the other one to his shoulder, tugging him forward but Mark doesn’t budge. Instead he stares at Donghyuck first, admiring the way his sweat drips down his temples, his half lidded eyes, he’s a panting mess, then to his neck and down, down, down to God knows where.

A lever has been pulled somewhere deep inside Donghyuck as he sees Mark gazing at him, there’s a hint of fervent urgent need in his eyes. Donghyuck confirms this when Mark lunges forward on his lips. Once again, his world seems to spin, feeling dizzy as Mark parts open his quivering lips, inserting his tongue. Donghyuck groans low on his throat as he feels the hot and wet tongue of Mark swipes underneath his lips then to inside his mouth. His head tilting on the other side, focusing on laying sloppy kisses. Then Mark fists on his hair, pushing Donghyuck’s head closer to him even though there’s little to no space at all, kissing him deeper as his tongue swipes again. Everything shuts down, his mind goes blank, his insides churning, burning, the want intensifies within him.

Mark repeats the feverish kiss, his hands sliding down from his jaw to his neck then to the insides of his polo shirt, just to feel his warm chest, to feel his heartbeat beating so loud and quick for him then back up again to cup his cheeks. Donghyuck loves the way Mark’s cheeks hollow as he sucks deeper of his tongue, loves the way his slick tongue unlocks the secret on his mouth, exploring every corner of it that drives him crazy, producing sweet breathy sounds. His eyes are forcefully shut, enjoying every damn second because he feels like in heaven, he sees stars. Only Mark can make him feel this way, only him.

Donghyuck copes up with him, catching his tongue when it enters again on the hot premises of his mouth and starts sucking on Mark’s tongue, loving the way his grip tightens on his shirt, loving the way the low groan Mark releases reverberates down Donghyuck’s throat. Mark bites his lower lip a bit too long before disconnecting. There’s a thin line of saliva connecting their mouths together, it’s messy and sloppy, their whole mouth is full of slick, to the corners, uppers and lowers of their lips.

It’s somehow funny when Mark sits down abruptly besides Donghyuck, there’s an innocent look on his face, like he didn’t just take Donghyuck to heaven, like he didn’t just make Donghyuck see the stars behind his closed lids. His half lidded eyes are now back to its huge puppy like structure but his lips are swollen. 

“Please tell me you didn’t learn that from someone.” Donghyuck murmurs, still catching his breath from the wild experience. 

“I cannot promise you that,” Mark sounds apologetic, he scratches his head, “but I can say that the experience added to my professionalism.” 

“What experience?”

“Donghyuck, you’re like my fourth or fifth? No, sixth. The sixth kiss.” 

Donghyuck’s face twists at the way Mark says it with his whole chest, seemingly proud and bragging. Mark stifles a laugh at him as he sees his reaction, bumping his shoulder, “What? You’re like two thirds of those!” He says indignantly.

“That was different! We were curious teenagers at that time and it just happened that you’re the one who's always in my room.”

“Why do you make it sound like you didn’t like it? Like you weren’t a hot mess that time, making weird noises that I literally had to cover your mouth because mom will hear you!” Donghyuck’s face turns beet red, flushed at the way Mar reminisces the steamy memory that isn’t supposed to be brought up ever because they were just curious and clueless teenagers back then. 

“Shut up, Mark,” he manages to say albeit sheepishly. “So are we now going to talk about Na?”

Mark flinches away from the question, the same face he makes when Renjun pulls on his ears and whenever he looks up to the sun shining so bright in their dorm. His eyes squinting as his forehead creases. He looks up to Donghyuck. “And ignore the fact that we made out? I don’t think so, sun.”

Donghyuck’s flushed cheeks intensifies adding more of the rosy hues on the sun kissed of his skin. He hisses, “don’t call me that.” 

“What? Sun? I thought you liked it,” Mark pouts, his swollen lower lip puckered in the cutest way as he snuggles closer to Donghyuck even though he’s sure there’s no space at all. “Where’s this conversation even heading to?”

“Okay fine,” Mark mutters, taking his hand back to the base of Donghyuck’s neck to twist him so that he faces him. “For the past years, I’ve been stupid. To be oblivious of your feelings, to ignore the butterflies on my own stomach, to swallow down every hope I feel, to reject the fact that every move you make is with reasons and feelings involved.” 

Donghyuck leans into the touch, sighing in content, keeping his mouth shut that prompted Mark to continue, “Donghyuck, you’re so pretty, you’re sunny, you’re basically good at everything. Sports, music, cooking, academics, games, dancing, you’re overall personality. God, you’re so talented and very, very, very much boyfriend material, it’s driving me insane—with all the smart life hacks you have beneath your sleeve, with the way you cook simply for me every time I get home, the kimchi fried rice, especially when I’m tired from class. Donghyuck, do you know how attractive you look? How good and mesmerizing you look just by walking beneath the sun? Everyone would melt around you, seriously. It’s like you’re the sun and I’m the sunflower that would bloom and turn to you everytime you're around.”

Donghyuck confounds the words pouring out of Mark's exquisite lips. He’s hearing it again. The same exact words Renjun had said to him earlier in the morning when they picked out outfits. The same description, accurate, perfect words. 

“It’s you Mark,” Donghyuck whispers, recollecting Renjun’s words. 

_ “Oh, don’t be so full of yourself, Lee. You didn’t hear that from me,” Renjun mumbles, shaking his head. Donghyuck shifts his weight to his elbows leant on the full size mirror, inspecting his friend, “Tell me, from who then?” It takes him a whole minute before replying, “let’s say a couple of people.” That many? _

“It has always been you.” 

They look into each other’s eyes. Mark’s orbs are twinkling beneath the graze of the stars, the tips of his ears are red with a horror painted on his face. 

“H-how did you know?” He asks, bewildered, “you didn’t snoop around my journals at the balcony didn’t you? I thought we should give each other privacy!” 

“Mark, what the fuck are you talking about?” The horror on his face intensifies as he realizes what he just said, covering his mouth with his palms, the embarrassment being too much so he buries his face on Donghyuck’s shoulders, embracing him. “Please pretend you didn’t hear that, please.”

And Donghyuck obliges, mentally taking note of it to tease him later.

“I knew because of your loud ass friend, Huang.”

“Well, who wouldn’t do that anyways. Man is ready to throw me on a running train, sick and tired of hearing me talk about you,” Mark admits, seemingly calm, his face still hidden, “because I’m dead serious about you, Donghyuck.”

“Baby, so am I. So am I.” 

“You did not just call me baby.”

“I really didn’t. It's the lyrics from one of your songs.”

Mark pinches him, “Donghyuck Lee, you are not taking me seriously.”

“Mark Lee, I am serious about you too,” Donghyuck says honestly, “I didn’t even know what prompted you to confess, it’s either the stars or you’ve just woken up from your senses.”

“What do you mean stars?”

“I did it Mark.”

“You did what?”

“The superstition. I've completed the quest. My wish literally had just been granted by the stars Mark.”

Something about the way Mark’s face turns into a blooming flower seems satisfying. Like how he just relaxed, smiling wide then surging forward for another searing kiss but he pulls back immediately.

“To be honest with you…” he trails, “I wished on the stars too Donghyuck.” 

Donghyuck isn’t surprised. Of course he had already tried it but what Donghyuck wants to know is answered quickly when Mark speaks again. “Do you remember the night we sat on our roof? The night I had told you about the stars.” 

Donghyuck nods, of course, how could he forget about that. He could still remember the way their pinkies link together, but now thor hands are linked, without shyness. 

“That day was my first night of counting the stars. Of course I’d known of the superstition long ago, but it’s my first time trying it out. Because I’ve become hopeless Donghyuck. I wanted you so bad but I kept coming back to the things I believed. That you didn’t like me that way,” Mark exhales, reminiscing the pain and memories. “But Donghyuck, my wish is very obvious at this point.”

Donghyuck shakes his head, still holding unto his hand, shifting the way he sits on the concrete, staring at Mark, then squeezes his hand.

“It’s simple actually. My wish is to be with you,” Mark doesn’t hesitate, “but they didn’t grant it Donghyuck. Or did they. I wasn’t sure though because on my seventh night, the night of the championships, at the party for Jocks —”

Donghyuck remembers that day vividly. The night that he thought Mad had found his own star, the night he first started counting the stars. 

“That night, right after I wished Donghyuck, it was supposed to be granted, on my seventh night, but right after I wished, I knew I fucked up. Because the stars never wanted us to be together, because I saw you with Yukhei the whole night.” Mark isn’t looking at him as he tells his story, he’s grazing over the starless night. It’s funny how Donghyuck had managed to capture the stars that disappeared from the sky. 

“I wondered that night what I did wrong, sure assuming may be one of them or being gullible, but Donghyuck, I thought the stars abandoned me, I thought they ignored my wish of being with you, but I think they got it twisted. Because the moment I counted the seventh star, the moment I whispered my wish, Jaemin came.”

There’s a bubbling bafflement inside Donghyuck, with arching brows he looks at the Mark straight in his eyes. “What a coincidence, because the moment I saw Jaemin, it urged me to count the stars. Your last night is my first night.”

Mark inhales sharply. “Everything is actually. Isn't this night familiar to you Donghyuck? Isn’t it deja vu?”

“It is,” he answers, “but the only difference from this night to _ that night  _ was that you’re now here instead of Yukhei, because the stars heard me Mark. Today is my last night, right when you came here, I knew my wish was granted.”

Donghyuck can see right through Mark, can see right through his confusion, his perplexed face, his big brain calculating the possibilities and chances of how wish not being granted but Donghyuck’s wish had been. 

“What is it?” He asks.

“I’ve kept thinking, what was your wish Donghyuck?”

Donghyuck remembers Jaemin’s last words to him, _“It’s that stars’ fault, Donghyuck,”_ _Jaemin says in hushed worried tones, “It’s the stars’, it has always been them, if it weren’t for the wishes… it’s power, if that’s what your heart truly desires.”_ He had always wanted this. Ever since the first night at the bar, at the jock party, he never thought of anything but it. All the days Donghyuck had wished in silent, quietly begging the stars to hear him, it has always been left hanging.

“What was your wish?” The big question. There it is. Donghyuck smiles weakly, rubbing his fingers on the back of Mark’s hand.

“What do you think it is?” Donghyuck asks back in hushed tones.

“I’m doubting it’s the same as mine.”

“Mark Lee, I am everything except for selfish. I would never wish for something to be mine. I can’t afford that, not when there’s a huge chance of ruining your happiness just because of my selfishness. So no, Mark. I never wished for you to be mine.”

“I’m sorry…” Mark is impatient, “so what did you wish?”

“I’ve always dreamt of you finally having your own star. I’ve wished for you to finally have what your heart desires the most,” he breathes, letting his lids shut as he continues the comforting habit on Mark’s hands. “God, you don’t know how happy I am when the stars granted my wish, you don’t know how happy I felt when I realized it was me whom your heart desired the most.”

Mark is speechless. His lips ajar, the words pooling on his tongue, unable to pour out of his mouth as he looks at Donghyuck, breathing labored. 

“It’s power, if that’s what your heart truly desires…” Mark manages to say, trailing the words that came from Jaemin. Donghyuck recognizes the familiar words, looking at Mark. “How did you know?”

“It’s what Jaemin kept telling me that night,” Mark looks up at the sky, bothered by the absence of the stars. He holds Donghyuck’s hand tightly. “On my seventh night, when I wished, he came. Long story short, I told him about you and the stars and _ that  _ was what he told me,” Mark hark backs at the vivid memory. “I didn’t get it at first. You are what my heart truly desires, so I didn’t get why it would be Jaemin.” 

“You know Donghyuck, I think we’re just fools in love with each other, blinded by the stars, gullible in all sorts of things. Kind of like the butterfly effect,” Mark exclaims then proceeds to elaborate when Donghyuck hums out in question. 

The Butterfly Concept is basically the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system or in simple words it is imagined with a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon, causing havoc. Like a single flap of its wings can make one domino fall that will basically lead in the downfall of the rest. Like the stars. How can a simple counting of seven celestial bodies on the sky make everything change in a matter of seconds, how can a small entity on the sky cause chaos on things it cannot even touch. 

“I think you’re underestimating the power of the stars, Mark Lee,” Donghyuck says, feeling somehow weird coming from a person who didn’t even believe in them at first. “This is something way beyond, I don’t know. But I’d tell you I could care less since you’re here already. That’s what matters now, isn’t it?” 

The corner of Mark lips twitch in annoyance, an ugly mockery of a fake smile he pulls when Donghyuck does something unbearable. Donghyuck laughs at it, using his fingers to loosen the contraction of the muscles on his face, falling into a more loveable expression. “You’re right Mark, we’re just fools in love blinded by the stars.” 

Mark giggles when Donghyuck starts pampering him with light-feather kisses on his cheek then to his jaw, a bit ticklish. He halts him by pinching the skin on his nape. “Stop it, Donghyuck.” But he doesn’t, like he can make him obey. 

“But on another note, I didn’t really expect your wish,” Mark whispers, wanting to talk about it, slightly pushing Donghyuck as he stops the teasing and lays wet kisses on his jaw instead. “Well, you see I’m no selfish prick like you.”

“Oh Donghyuck, acting like you weren’t going insane when I told you I wanted you all for myself.” 

Mark is right in every way, in every word. Donghyuck’s stomach churn, love hearing the words tumbling out of Mark’s mouth. “I’m just gonna pretend to be embarrassed and say ‘shut up’ just so you’d say ‘make me’ and then boom! I’d have a reason to kiss you because you seem to know damn right how insane I am right now.” He replies cheekily. Mark studies him with a judging look, his face pushed back on the bone of his neck, the extra skin on his chin showing. The deducing pulls into an abrupt state, replaced by a loud wheeze. 

“You did not just plan a scenario in your head,” Mark anticipates, trying to halt the laughter coming out of his mouth. Donghyuck watches him, amused, content of the reaction Mark is showing. 

“Shut up,” he says, with an unfaltering smile. Mark’s eyes widen, tears on the corners of it, still bursting into laughter. “You’re really doing it! No way, I’ll get out of here, I’ve had enough of your scenarios.” 

“Hey you’re supposed to say ‘make me’!” Donghyuck shouts indignantly when Mark starts distancing himself away from him. Holding his tummy as it aches from too much laughter. “You’re impossible, Donghyuck Lee.” Mark whisper-laughs.

“Hey you can’t leave me here!” Mark hears Donghyuck shouts, walking towards him in tiny jumps, the wall aiding him. Donghyuck’s voice echoes as he hears him enter the fire exit stairs, Mark doesn’t stop laughing. “Mark fucking Lee!”

As much as Mark wants to tease Donghyuck more, he finds himself climbing up the stairs in threes, really fast. He sits on his feet, offering his back to the tiny mad man Donghyuck is. 

“Ugh I hate you.” Donghyuck exclaims but proceeds to get on Mark’s back with ease. Mark chuckles, breathing labored as he stands up, wobbling a bit. “But that doesn’t stop me from kissing you now that you’re literally caged in my arms!” 

Mark has a hard time carrying Donghyuck down the stairs because all he does is to lay kisses on top of his head, smells his hair, wraps his arms around Mark’s neck, lays sloppy kisses on his nape, jaw and neck, licks the shell of his ear until he finally reaches the last step. 

“God, I won’t last long with you,” Mark says, catching his breath after carefully removing Donghyuck, stretching the muscles on his spine from the piggy back ride.

“You’re right, you won’t,” Donghyuck confirms, still not leaving Mark’s side, clinging to him like a koala. “Wanna try it tonight?”

There’s a horror on Mark’s face, draining into a white unpainted canvas, like his soul just left his body but manages to reply in his shaky voice., “Sure”.

“Let’s go home then.”

“What?”

“Let’s get back to our dorm.”

“Donghyuck, you still have an award. You have to participate in the awarding.” Mark bats an eye at him and Donghyuck grunts, hating the way Mark is always right. “Okay fine.”

The party takes so long and Donghyuck becomes really impatient. Mark doesn’t leave Donghyuck alone on the seats while everyone is wilding on the dance floor. Donghyuck always loved Mark’s ability to quickly come up with a solution to a simple problem. Like him suggesting to take a photo on the photo booth where the line is nowhere to be seen. 

Mark takes him there, sitting him down on the cramp space of the bench, hooking the curtain’s loop on the small nails to somehow lock it and Donghyuck smirks. “Are you ready to take some photos?” Mark asks, seated on the small space beside him, then soon presses all the necessary buttons for filters and lightings. Donghyuck yanks his head softly as an answer. 

Mark hums out lowly when Donghyuck plump lips clash into his with force, with fervent urgent need. Mark exerts the same amount of force, letting Donghyuck lead the kiss. He places his hands on his waist, pressing the skin with equal intensity as their lips. Mark assists him as Donghyuck gets up and sits on his lap, saving the space, making themselves fit in the cramped space of the photo booth. Mark pulls back as Donghyuck’s lips travel on the corners of his lips, pampering soft and light-feather kisses to it then to his prominent cheekbones, to his chiseled jaw, maybe a bit longer there. Mark tilts his head back, leaning on the wall as Donghyuck’s stubborn lips focus on sucking and lapping the skin of his neck, angling his head so he doesn’t miss out any spot of the sweet taste of his skin.

Mark sees the camera continuously flashing, taking pictures of them in their hot and steamy pace. Mark sees their preview on the small screen below the camera. He swallows hard, panting, parting his lips, then manages to giggle because the previews are just Donghyuck’s back and his hands on them. One preview shows a picture of Donghyuck’s sun kissed skin of his back as Mark pulls up his shirt. Mark lets his hand linger on the insides of Donghyuck’s polo shirt again, resting it on his warm back, rubbing circles. Donghyuck battles out, a bit loud, Mark shushes him.

Donghyuck pulls back, looking at his artwork neatly carved on Mark’s skin, but it isn’t enough, so he opens the fourth and fifth button of his shirt, letting his eyes graze over the expanse of his torso. His toned chest and his well-defined stomach. Donghyuck lingers his finger on the lines on his tummy, licking his lips before kissing Mark once again, deep and hard. He feels like melting and dissolving, his head throbbing, his heart exploding as Mark licks on the inside of his, sucking the warm tongue. Donghyuck’s hands continue to roam on the toned torso, exploring every corners of his body, until it rests on his chest. 

Mark leads the kiss this time, holding Donghyuck in a tight embrace as he rocks their bodies, angling his head to slot their lips perfectly. “Mark,” Donghyuck moans in breathily. Mark loves it, so he kisses him again with a much higher intensity than before, seemingly hungry. Mark loses count of the times Donghyuck has moaned his name. That’s when he notices that Donghyuck is loud when they hear a crowd forming a bit close to them. Mark becomes alert, so he pulls back, resting his forehead on Donghyuck’s. 

They were lost in their own world. Donghyuck, catching his breath, his hair wet from sweat, smiles brightly to Mark. Donghyuck licks his lips, as he stands up, grazing at Mark. His breathing labored, hunched on the bench, his head tilted back, exposing the blooming purple marks on his neck and collarbones then one deeply bruised mark on his chest. His white shirt is all wrinkled, unbuttoned all the way to his stomach, his thighs still parted. Donghyuck falls in love even more as Mark looks at him, amused and proud.

There’s a horrifying cheer deafening them, one loud shriek coming from Yangyang just behind the curtains. Donghyuck unhooks the curtains and Renjun is the first person to see them both. There’s a knowing and pleasing look on his face but tries to hide it with his reprimanding look. “Donghyuck and Mark!”

Mark carries him again on his back as they get out of the photo booth, loving the spotlight as the crowd feasts on their pictures, wanting to see what the fuss was all about. They don’t even fix themself up as Mark helps Donghyuck up the stage to receive his award. The cheers are deafening as the huge spotlight focuses on Donghyuck, shifting his weight to Mar by leaning. The dean shakes his head in disappointment but still gives the mic to Donghyuck to say a short speech. 

The crowd inspirits exultation and Donghyuck loves it. He puts his hands up, feeling frabjous, raising the trophy. He hadn’t thought about his speech, so he says the first two words Mark has taught him in english. “I’m Donghyuck!” He exclaims in the most gratifying way and the whole room explodes in laughter, cheers and whistles and before he forgets, he drags Mark with him, kissing him there, not caring if they get suspended for pulling an impolite behaviour. 

Mark laughs out loud, his panting intensifies as he carries Donghyuck away from the party, ditching the rest of it. They stumble a couple of times on the way to their building with Donghyuck stubbornness, dragging Mark to every corner he sees and sucks the life out of him. God knows what they did inside the elevator, especially when their dorm is on the eighteenth floor, having the time of their lives as they have it all to themselves. They tumble messily on the couch as Donghyuck kicks the door close with his free foot.

Mark lays on top of him, catching his breath from all the carrying. “God, you’re getting so fucking heavy, seriously. These babies buffing out huh?” He exclaims, his hands feeling his biceps and chest. Donghyuck manages to stifle out a laugh with Mark’s weight on him. “Don’t worry I’ll make sure to make it up to you. Just for you.” Donghyuck winks and Mark slaps his chest, flushed, giggling nervously.

“I never thought I’d be this dirty, with you,” Donghyuck says and suddenly, he feels the silence of the room, the quiet brushing of the wind coming from the balcony. “It feels so surreal.”

“I could say the same,” Mark prompts his chin on Donghyuck’s chest, looking up at him. Their intertwined legs are hanging uncomfortable at the end of the couch. “We’ve quite made a name for ourselves. A memory that will forever haunt us. We’re kind of scandalous, don’t you think?”

Donghyuck chortles, “We are. Have you seen the look on the Dean? Priceless.” 

Mark smiles widely, his prominent cheekbones, full on display as he plays with Donghyuck’s bangs. “I didn’t even gave a fuck about anything, I wouldn’t even peg myself as the type but I did it anyway. Because you make me go insane, Donghyuck. I wasn’t even thinking, my head full of you. Wanting you beneath me like this, wanting you all to myself, wanting to kiss you, wanting to wrap you with the warmth of my love. I’m so in love with you, Donghyuck.”

It feels so fucking surreal. How a wish on the stars made this all happen, how gullibility pushed them to come out of their shells and actually express their feelings, what their heart truly desires. Donghyuck realizes that Lady Tremaine is wrong, that it’s false to think that there’s nothing free in this world, Cinderella is right though because Love has always been free. Love is there, it’s free and it is the answer to all the darkest and creepiest fears in the world. 

Donghyuck is mad at Disney, for making him believe that a wish on a star would grant his deepest desire but that wouldn’t even be possible without love. Donghyuck forgives Disney because all fairytales have love and dreams. It portrays how love is that powerful. No entity is more powerful than love. In this universe, nothing is more powerful than love. It sounds cheesy but it’s a fact, speaking in experiences. Donghyuck reasons. 

“I know Mark Lee. I could hear you go on forever,” he teases, “but when will you show me that journal of yours? Hmm?” 

“Don’t you even think about it Lee.”

“Okay Lee.”

“Help me shower? I’m feeling all icky.” Donghyuck scrunches his nose, persuading Mark using his pleasing and convincing techniques. It’s no use though because Mark would still do it for me, one way or another. Mark happily obliges and drags him to the shower. They spend a tad bit too much time inside the shower. Can’t keep their hands to themselves and Donghyuck makes it up to Mark. It’s all messy. 

Mark feels his energy drain. Feeling his body weakening from the party earlier, and from the shower, because no shit, Donghyuck is good. He jumps to the space next to Donghyuck and pulls him into the tightest embrace, bringing the comforter up their chest. Donghyuck looks at his face, too closed up that he sees the little stubbles. A small pimple on his cheek, his thick and long lashes, his seagull brows, his swollen lips, his frayed hair, all the imperfections are perfect to Donghyuck. 

“This is cheesy as fuck but I wanted you to bring this to your sleep,” Mark murmurs weakly and kisses him tenderly and soft. “I will always love you Donghyuck, no matter what.” Donghyuck hums, hugging him tightly, there’s a contented smile on his face as the dark, peaceful slumber swallows him. 

Donghyuck dreams, for the first time in so long. He’s standing in front of a huge massive light. A light so blinding so he shields himself using his hands and the next thing he knew, he’s inside a facility. In a room where there's a huge glass window. There are large antennas built in spheres lined outside the building. Donghyuck walks up to the window in bafflement and that’s where he sees his reflection, wearing a dark blue suit uniform with a very familiar logo on his right chest. The crest of a widely-known space administration. Donghyuck blinks and the next thing he knows he’s in a bar. A bar filled with pink and purple neon lights, it’s not too crowded but the people inside are weird that Donghyuck can’t pinpoint why or what. He looks up and sees that the bar has an open roof, allowing the breathtaking view of the night time showcase it’s beauty. Donghyuck wonders what part of the world he’s in right now because no stars looked this crowded, so close, so big, so bright. Donghyuck looks for a clock but there’s none. Donghyuck tries to stand and ask the person assisting the customers but he feels his nape burn. Like there’s a burning stare, digging a hole right through him. He turns the stool around, his eyes landing on a man… in a suit. No, it’s no ordinary suit, it’s an Extravehicular Mobility Unit also known as a spacesuit. An astronaut. Until his eyes fell on this guy’s helmet, as he took it off, revealing a face so familiar. The face he had loved for years, the face that belonged to no other than Mark Lee.

Donghyuck wakes up and sees Mark sleeping peacefully on the floor. The comforter draped on the floor connecting to his and Mark’s waist. The pillows are scattered everywhere. Donghyuck laughs silently, taking a picture of Mark before fixing the comforter on top of his chest and kisses his forehead. He leaves a note on the bedside table then rummages to Mark’s closet and wears his favorite gray hoodie of Mark.

Donghyuck makes the right decision to come to the twenty-third floor, on Yukhei and Yangyang’s dorm where he sees Renjun fully awake and having tea on the balcony. The makeshift bedding on the couch is unmade. There’s also Jeno sprawled on a makeshift mattress on the floor with an unknowing smile, probably dreaming.

“You certainly look like shit Lee,” Renjun greets him. “It’s a good kind of shit by the way.”

Donghyuck makes an indignant sound, rolling his eyes. “Good morning to you too, Huang. And mind you, no  _ shit  _ has looks good.”

“You are,” Renjun chortles and Donghyuck smacks him, making his tea spill on his hands. And the daily brawls come to a start at seven in the morning. 

Something about his friends’ presence makes his morning extra shitty but also alive and heart melting. He doesn’t even know what prompted him to walk up to the warm space of Yukhei and Yangyang’s flat. Maybe it’s because his friends are a huge reason why his love life’s peril comes to a halt. Maybe because Renjun had managed to get his shit together from 24-hour ranting both from Mark and Donghyuck. That’s what happens when you’re both friends of two fools in mutual pining. Maybe it’s because of Yangyang being oblivious but supportive or maybe because Jeno and Yukhei are both on his side, always believing in him. 

To show his appreciation and gratitude, he makes sure to cook them pancakes and while he stands there flipping pancakes, Yangyang with his brawling out, Yukhei’s sleepy ass, Jeno’s face unable to be painted and Renjun’s gawking ass, standing there behind the counter, watching every move Donghyuck makes.

“Shit, who knew love can make you look like a whole new different person,” Yangyang whispers and the rest nods. 

“Very unusual,” Jeno comments.

“Who is he again?” Yukhei shakes his head.

“Ah the motherfucker fell so deep. He’s fucked up,” Renjun spits.

All of them flinch as Donghyuck starts singing so sweetly, moving and dancing to his own imaginary beat. “Yeah, have fun watching him,” Yangyang says, then plops down back on the couch. 

Yukhei and Jeno shrieks when Donghyuck starts dancing to do his favorite Michael Jackson moves, holding onto his crotch and head, imitating him, unconscious of the eyes judging him intensely.

“Junnie, he’s so happy,” Jeno says with sparkling eyes. “I agree,” Yukhei seconds. Renjun cackles a devilish laugh, so loud, shaking his head. “Wait ‘til he hears about his one week suspension after all the shit he has done last night. Nuts, I’m telling you.” 

Donghyuck feeds them a delectable breakfast and bids goodbye to bring the extra pancakes down to Mark. He’s probably awake after a three hour stay with his friends. Renjun comes with him to the hallway, his silk robes tied loosely on his waist. 

“I’m happy for you, Hyuckie.” Renjun admits, a sweet and sincere smile on his lips. 

“I know.” Donghyuck smug then presses the wrong button three times. Taking them into different floors, not their destination. Renjun smacks his head. 

“Donghyuck, before you go…” he trails, thinking deeply. “Jaemin told me to deliver this to you. I think it’s important.”

Donghyuck listens to him. “I don’t know the context but he told me to tell you that a heart’s true desire will never ever change. But you could be deceived. He also reminded me to keep smacking you hard on your head so that you won’t make poor decisions.” 

Donghyuck enters the dorm and he sees Mark, fully awake on the balcony. Writing something in his journal, he immediately closes it when he’s become alert of his presence. There’s a loving glow on Mark. With the way his whole aura blooms of scarlet rose, of bright sunflower who had been recently blessed by the king sun itself. Donghyuck flashes him a warm smile, handing him the plate with pancakes and fancy sauces on top. 

Mark grins, placing the food down on the table and catches Donghyuck on his arms. Kissing him passionately. It doesn’t last long though as Donghyuck pushes him down on the chair to eat first. Mark excitedly obliges like a kid. Donghyuck tilts his head, thinking Jaemin’s words. What renjun had said to him on the elevator. Then Donghyuck tumbles upon Mark's wish that has failed to be granted.

“Mark?”

Mark hums, taking a bite of his fluffy pancake.

“What does your heart truly desire? What’s your deepest desire?”

Donghyuck watches him closely, every muscle movement, the patterns of his breathing, wanting to confirm something. Donghyuck loves that Mark doesn’t hesitate when he replies, there’s conviction and truthfulness to his words. “You.” 

Donghyuck sits beside Mark on the love seat and embraces him. A genuine smile plastered on his face. Donghyuck confirms his formulation. 

There are three things Donghyuck knows about Mark: First is that he really loves Donghyuck. There’s no lie to it. Second is the most obvious, one that he wished he never forgot. And that is the fact that Mark will never not love the stars. And lastly is that he is a complete liar too. If anything, it’s always the stars. It’s Mark’s dream that comes first. No scratch that. It’s his dream that will always come first. It's Mark wanting to be in outer space, that's what he truly desires. That’s the only reason why his wish didn't come true, why his wish isn’t heard by the stars. Because to be with Donghyuck was never his deepest desire. Well being with Donghyuck is a desire, but it’s not as deep as Mark wanting to be out there with the universe, his dream of flying on the outskirts of universe, to be on a space agency and explore on the beyond. 

If anything, Donghyuck isn't bitter. He already knew it in the first place. He sees it coming anyways. It feels so foreign and deja vu really, because even though Donghyuck has Mark in his arms, it doesn't seem enough, it seems to him that he's still chasing him. It looks like an endless marathon, an astronaut free falling into the void of the galaxy, infinity and what do you know, Donghyuck is born to be a competitive bitch, Donghyuck loves challenges. If Mark wants to be with the stars so bad, then Donghyuck will make sure he'll be there first.

“I’ll see you soon then,” Donghyuck whispers to Mark’s ear. “To the infinity and beyond.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> This was originally titled as Make A Wish after I got the inspo when maw announcement came out but decided to change and put a twist on it since i'm a shooter for stargazing aus and I love love love the stars so much and bc Mark wears too much NASA jackets that I always envision him to be the simp for stars or spaceboy but he obv wanted to be a writer which is so damn cute so I kinda have that thing in here too ok. As you can see there are parts that I personally think are well written and the others are just plain and dull which summarizes my whole mood ig. I’m still learning to be better and I know this is a great stepping stone and experience to actually improve the quality of my work. Soooo, I hope you liked it and please do tell me in the comments of what your thoughts are, from the plot, and if there are confusions, basically anything. I highly appreciate kudos and comments!! <3 
> 
> talk to me ><  
> [ twt!! ](https://twitter.com/haechanfenty)  
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> 


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